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Shell Bel Air Park Service Station commissioned

December 9, 2011 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Source - Kaieteur News

President Donald Ramotar and the daughters of Robin and Michelle Low cutting the ribbon to officially open the Shell Bel Air Park Service Station

Adding to its 11 sites which are already functional, SOL Guyana Inc. officially opened its flagship site, the Shell Bel Air Park Service Station, last evening, with a simple commissioning ceremony at the Vlissengen Road location.

Ken Figaro, General Manager of SOL Guyana Inc, stated that such an achievement has brought his company closer to fully operating its local retail network, which comprises 12 sites.

Ten of these sites are owned by the company and operated by retail contractors while the others, which are also Shell-branded, are owned and operated by respective dealers.

Figaro went on to say that the reconstruction of this latest service station signals SOL’s continued confidence in the local economy and fits with the company’s strategic plan to deliver quality products and services to customers at “state-of-the-art service stations” now in Georgetown, Berbice, Linden, and on the East and West Banks of Demerara.

Robin Low (right) demonstrates to President Ramotar on how the pumps at the service station will be operated.

The Bel Air Park site will be operated by a couple, Robin and Michelle Low, who have been at this location for the past six years.

President Donald Ramotar, who graced the occasion with his presence, asserted that SOL has the most modern service station in Guyana, if not in the Caribbean. He added that while SOL has taken over the Shell brand in the Caribbean and expanded in many countries in the Region, the company continues to commit itself towards improving standards and services in Guyana.

The President noted that for Guyanese, the petroleum industry is of major importance, even though the country is not presently a producer of the precious commodity, which represents the single largest expense the country has on its importation bill.

According to President Ramotar, this is testimony to the fact that the country’s economy is improving and the population of vehicles has increased tremendously.

This has resulted in a lot of pressure to improve existing infrastructure and possibly add new infrastructure to accommodate all that is taking place.

While Guyana is investing heavily now on alternative energy, petroleum will remain very important to the country in the future.

“We see petroleum being very important to sectors of our economy. I envisage that mining will be a very growth tool for the development of Guyana. Already it is making a big contribution to the development of our country and you know, the mining sector is already consuming a lot of petroleum and petroleum products,” said the President.

He emphasized that it is especially important as “an Agriculture country” since many chemicals and fertilizers used in this sector come from petroleum itself.

This newspaper also understands that the administration is aiming to have Guyana join the group of countries producing oil and fuel soon.

“Such a find will help us to create a complex of industries; refineries, producing lubricants, fertilizers, many of the inputs that we have… Now we have to start preparing for that and we have to start to prepare the human capital to meet the challenges that will be ahead of us.”

In February of 2005, the acquisition of Shell’s Petroleum Distribution and Marketing businesses in the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Suriname and Belize marked the creation of the SOL group.

SOL currently supplies fuels, lubricants, bitumen and LPG through an extensive service station network and through its aviation, marine and commercial operations. It uses the Shell brand under licence across its service station network, and acts as the sole distributor of Shell’s fuels and lubricants.

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Ramotar optimistic Guyana will soon join elite group of oil producing states - as he commissions new Shell Bel Air Park Service Station

Written by Whitney Persaud
Friday, 09 December 2011 03:46
Source - Guyana Chronicle

President Ramotar receives a gift from Michelle Low, wife of the station’s manager, Robin Low.

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar last evening expressed optimism that Guyana will soon join an elite group of oil producing states in the world.

This is fuelled by the fact that REPSOL is here, and will be here at least for the next six months during which time the company will commence drilling for oil in Guyana.

Mr. Ramotar was at the time addressing the opening of the ultra modern, multi-million Shell Bel Air Park Service Station, Vlissingen Road, Georgetown.

“The team from REPSOL is here...it is stationed here, and they will begin drilling very soon; they will be here for minimum one hundred and eighty days; but by then I think others will probably join because I am an eternal optimist and I hope by the time our country will be hitting oil and joining that elite group of countries that are producing this product,” Ramotar said.

The Head of State pointed out that this is a major development which will help the country create a complex industry which will see the production of lubricants. “Finally we will produce lubricants and fertilizers,” he said.

Dancers entertain invitees at the station’s commissioning.

He continued: “We have to start preparing for that and we have to start preparing the human capital for the challenges that we have ahead of us and to service what surely can become one of our most important industries.”

Last year Guyana spent some US$394M on importing fuel and this year it will spend US$450M.

“I have been talking about modernising Guyana and it is therefore special for me to be here with you to share this moment of commissioning) a modern service in our society,”
Mr. Ramotar said even though Guyana continues to invest heavily in alternative energy, petroleum will remain very important in the foreseeable future.

The President said that he is convinced at this point that this initiative will be a successful one for the nation, and for SOL Guyana Inc.

He said that the newly commissioned service station is the flagship of SOL in Guyana and is very important in the distribution and supply to all, and to sectors throughout the region.

Additionally, he said that this brings with it more opportunities for the country with regard to job creation, something that Guyana is in need of.

He emphasized that the promises of his government in the 2011 agenda will be delivered to all Guyanese, and the development of an efficient oil and gas industry is a shared vision and pillar of development of all the political parties that will make up the tenth parliament of the country.

In the Sol Shop, President Ramotar is shown around by Manager Robin Low. Also in photo are Sol Manager Ken Figaro and Minister Robert Persaud.

Ken Figaro, General Manager of SOL Guyana, addressing the gathering said that the commissioning brought the company closer to fully operating the local and retail network which comprises some 12 sites, 10 of which are owned by the company and operated by retail contractors, while the others, also Shell branded, are owned and operated by respective dealers.

“Reconstruction of this service station signals SOL’s continued confidence in the Guyana economy, and it fits in with our strategic plan to deliver to our customers quality products and services at the state of the art service stations now in Georgetown, Berbice, Linden and on the East and West Bank Demerara,” he said

He said the acquisition of Shell’s petroleum distribution and marketing businesses in the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Suriname and Belize in February 2005, marked the creation of SOL group.

Manager of the service station, Robin Low in his vote of thanks, mentioned every person who played a part in bringing the service to the point it is at, and he specifically thanked the Guyana Chronicle for being a good neighbour during the period of reconstruction.

Last Updated ( Friday, 09 December 2011 04:06 )
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