–Trotman says Georgetown has become too congested, difficult to traverse

By Frederick Halley

NATURAL Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman has disclosed that Government is mulling the establishment of “a new administrative settlement”, since Georgetown has become too congested and difficult to traverse.

The sea levels have also been constantly rising.

Trotman made the disclosure on Saturday, while addressing a Toronto-based Guyanese audience at a Stakeholder Engagement Session titled “Guyana Rising From Potential to Prosperity”, which was held at Westmount Event Centre, Toronto, Canada.

The session was held primarily to update members of the diaspora on the progress of the rich oil find and the potential it has for the future of Guyanese at home and abroad.

With expectations soaring in the event of the expected revenues from oil, Trotman said the Government has identified several infrastructural projects, including the construction of the road from Linden to Lethem, building a deep water port at Crab Island, Berbice and at least two hydro power plants.

“We are thinking and hoping we can bridge all three rivers (Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice) with high span permanent concrete bridges and we are looking at savings for future generations,” Trotman told the audience, which included Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada, Clarissa Riehl, Go-Invest Chief Executive Officer, Owen Verwey and Deputy Consular General, Candida Daniels.

Plans are also in train to introduce programmes to ensuring that ‘every Guyanese, man, woman and child have the best health care, the best opportunity for education and also ensuring that the environment is protected, with the emphasis on a green economy. So a portion of our revenues from oil will be spent on the environment trust fund, which already exists under the Environment Protection Act,” the minister assured.

ALL MUST BENEFIT
Trotman said the idea is to “ensure every region of Guyana and every citizen have a direct benefit and it shouldn’t be in the hands of a particular Government or the minister of natural resources to determine who gets what…”

Trotman reminded members of the diaspora that Guyana needed their help, support and expertise, while expressing appreciation for the assistance that has been forthcoming over the years.

He said Government has created legislation for the management of its resources, since it is a lot of money with less than a million people.

“The last thing we want to do is squander the opportunity when it comes by and overspending on things we have business in and ensuring we have money for generations to come.”

Government, Trotman pointed out, is considering the re-establishment of an alumina plant, which he said was abandoned mainly because of power supply.
However, sourcing sufficient energy for the maintenance of the plant is a major consideration, but the two possibilities are using hydro power or natural gas.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, in the meantime, will be exploring how natural gas from the oil production can be used into local energy consumption, Trotman disclosed.

OFFER
Trotman also said that Mexico has offered to assist Guyana in setting up a petroleum scientific institute.

“We are hoping to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with that Government later this month, so that we can establish the institute at the University of Guyana. We need to start getting our people trained…”

The Government is also seeking linkages with several other institutions, including the University of Manitoba, Canada and technocrats, who are willing to work along with it.

Quizzed on contingency plans, in the event of fallen oil prices, minister Trotman said Government intends to use the revenues from oil “to give us the platform into other areas so that we are not reliant on oil only”.

He said the road from Linden to Lethem, for example will provide volumes of trade.

“The Brazilians are anxious to get that road open because northern Brazil is landlocked, so they need access to a seaport urgently, so with the revenue from the oil that guarantees forever trade and earnings from oil. The idea is to get us out of the over reliance on oil. All the money in the world will do nothing if the society keeps eating away at itself,” Trotman said.