Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has written Minis-ter of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman accepting an invitation for a sit down discussion on the country’s oil and gas sector. “It is not his invitation.
From what I gather the company (ExxonMobil) has asked to meet me so unless he is coming with them at my office too but I will be available on the 1st (February) for the meeting,” Jagdeo told Stabroek News on Thursday.
Trotman’s ministry on Thursday issued a statement informing of the invitation extended to the opposition leader and said that it was one of many meetings with various stakeholders as part of its continuous engagement of stakeholders, on preparations for Guyana’s developing oil and gas industry.
“Of note, Leader of the Opposition Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, M.P., has been written to by Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Raphael Trotman informing him that a briefing has been organised for him on Guyana’s preparation for the Oil and Gas industry,” the statement read and added that it was the second such invitation to the Opposition Leader, who on a previous occasion was unavailable on the proposed date.
Jagdeo did not detail what areas of discussion he was looking forward to but said that he prefers to deal with specific matters as they arise.
However, he believes that the engagement will see a wide range of topics for discussion that could continue even after the meeting would have ended. “If it is a briefing… I suspect that a lot of issues will come out and discussions will follow,” he said.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) also pointed out that Members of the National Assembly including, members of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, will also be engaged on the progress of activities.
This, it said, was a part of regular briefings they have been provided from Trotman and his team at the Ministry, on the progress of preparations for oil and gas production.
Further, efforts are also underway, to reach out to a wide range of stakeholders and the relevant private sector bodies and civil society groups have already benefited from these engagements, the MNR release also said. “More consultations are currently being scheduled to share the plans and policies that have been developed for the oil and gas sector with an even wider cross-section of Guyanese. These engagements will commence during February 2017,” the statement noted. “The Ministry of Natural Resources welcomes opportunities to engage with all stakeholders for the advancement of the Oil and Gas industry in Guyana and encourages discourse that will promote understanding about the sector and transparency in its management,” it added.