By Rabindra Rooplall

THE Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has seized a total of 150,242.1 gallons of illegal fuel since 2005; and as at April 2016, approximately 1,545 gallons of diesel and 2,686.7 gallons of gasoline were also seized, while eight charges have been brought against fuel smugglers this year.GEA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Mahender Sharma said the incidents recorded for the period occurred in various parts of the country, including on the Essequibo Coast, in Pomeroon River communities, in Georgetown, in Mahaica, and in Cuyuni river communities.

He explained that, in 2007, a Task Force on Fuel Smuggling and Contraband was convened under the auspices of the then Ministry of Home Affairs, to coordinate the efforts of the different law enforcement agencies in the fight against fuel smuggling and contraband. The resulting cooperation between the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, and Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) aided in several interdictions of illegal fuel, and assisted in capturing, escorting and securing various transport vessels (both land and water).

JOINT OPERATIONS
Co-operation from the Guyana Police Force in the detention of suspects, and from the GDF Coast Guard and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in joint operations have proven invaluable in combating the illegal fuel trade, he explained.

The GEA head said the agency is also a part of the ‘Hinterland Intelligence Committee’ organised by the GPF and chaired by the Commissioner of Police. Members of this committee include the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Guyana Police Force (GPF), Association of Aircraft Owners (AAO), Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Local Government (MLG), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO), among others.

Many issues are discussed at these meetings, including fuel smuggling.

CAPACITY-BUILDING
Dr Sharma said all necessary and possible steps to plug existing loopholes are being addressed, not only by the GEA, but by its sister agencies. Several capacity-building programmes, including continuous training and the acquisition of equipment and machinery, are planned for 2016 to strengthen the agency’s ability to competently and effectively discharge its statutory mandate.

The success of the programme and strategies adopted by the agency can be seen in the “Test Results” (Quantitative Analyses) — the percentage of marker concentrate detected when the sample is analysed. A “correctly marked” sample should be at 100 per cent.

The results of sample analyses over the years are categorized in the following four ranges: 0 to 50 per cent: Significant dilution; 51 to 70 per cent: Some dilution; 1 to 90 per cent: Suspected dilution; 91 per cent and more: Legal.

During the assessment phase (2003), Sharma noted, 12 per cent of the samples analysed were found to be significantly diluted. “This decreased to six per cent in the post-assessment phase and throughout 2004. From 2005 to 2007, the testing strategy was focused on areas with a high incidence of illegal activity. For this three-year period, the percentage of significantly diluted samples fluctuated from nine per cent to 15 per cent, and then to eight per cent. It is believed that this fluctuation was a direct result of the strategy used for sampling, and would have a direct relationship with the number of samples analysed and the focus on areas with a high incidence of smuggling,” the GEA boss explained.

However, the year 2008 can be characterized as a mixture of focused, planned and random sampling. The percentage of samples found with significant dilution was maintained at three per cent in 2009.

The year 2010, he added, set another record, with significant dilution reported as two per cent, indicative of sustained reduction in the percentage of significantly diluted samples analysed. In 2011, and again in 2012, significant levels of contamination (defined as more than 50 per cent) were detected in only one per cent of the samples analysed.

With the analysis of 64 per cent more samples in 2013, one per cent of the samples analysed was found to be significantly diluted. While an increased number of samples were analysed in 2014, levels of adulteration remained below two per cent.

Significant levels of contamination were detected in two per cent of the 32,893 samples analysed in 2015. Sites found with significant dilution in at least one tank remained relatively unchanged since 2010. Further, he said, samples with readings of up to 70 per cent account for less than one percent of total analyses.

“The GEA maintains a permanent presence in Essequibo, Bartica and Linden. Officers are routinely dispatched to these areas, from which operations to further outlying areas are launched.

Routine and intelligence-based operations are conducted as needed in various areas throughout the country,” Dr Sharma disclosed.