A HIGH-LEVEL planning committee is currently reviewing a 10-point plan aimed at ensuring that the new Department of Energy to be set up within the Ministry of the Presidency is effectively positioned to manage the potentially massive and transformative emergent petroleum sector.

This is according to President David Granger, who points out that the committee members include the ministers of business, finance, natural resources, public infrastructure and state and the presidential adviser on petroleum.

The President said the 10-point plan is aimed at ensuring that matters such as organisational structure, legislation and capacity-building measures are effectively addressed as Guyana works toward developing a world-class oil and gas industry.

Speaking to journalists at State House on Wednesday, at the conclusion of the accreditation ceremony for the new High Commissioner of Pakistan to Guyana, the President said the administration is committed to attracting the best qualified professionals to staff the department.

“We have to identify personnel, we have to identify buildings, we have to start advertising to attract the quality personnel that can lead this important department into the future. So we are being very careful. Right now, the preparatory work is being done. It is bound to be a challenge, because this is an international industry. We are looking at a world-class industry, so we have to get the best persons. As you know, Guyana has no experience in the field and we have a very small Petroleum Unit, which is now in the Ministry of Natural Resources and we obviously have to attract the best people from around the world, so we are not attempting to avoid that responsibility,” he said.

The head of state added that government is open to advertising and recruiting technical experts locally, regionally and internationally through a highly competitive and transparent process to attract the most qualified and experienced professionals available, since careful and effective management of the sector is critical to the future of Guyana.

Experts, he said, can be drawn from countries within the Region, which have existing oil and gas operations, from among members of the diaspora, who have worked in the field and any person who has the requisite qualifications and experience, internationally.

On February 27, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman announced Cabinet’s approval for the setting up of the Department of Energy, based on his recommendation, to be housed in the Ministry of the Presidency. (Ministry of the Presidency )