Govt. to establish multi-sector stakeholder committee for the oil and gas sector

Dec 12, 2017 News

• Trotman asks Opposition to participate

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) opposition continues to chide the government for many of its initiatives which the opposition says are not in the best interest of the nation. Also, PPP/C has warned that the government seems to be visionless in its approach to preparing for the coming of oil and gas.

When he recently made his contributions to the National Budget debate, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, admitted that government implemented initiatives that put some strain on the people. He quickly noted that the government has sought to correct many of its mistakes.

Trotman then asked that the PPP/C come on board and work with the government especially on a multi-sector stakeholder committee for oil and gas that is supposed to be established in 2018.

Addressing the Speaker of the House, Dr. Barton Scotland, Trotman said, “When water has to move, it finds a way and if one way proves difficult or impenetrable then it changes course and finds another way but find a way it must and it will.”

He continued, “So it is with the policies and programmes of the coalition government. Some measures were introduced last year that met with strong and sustained opposition. The government listened, and has withdrawn them. There has been no attempt to compel or command them into being.”

Trotman told the House that at the beginning of this term in office, President David Granger invited the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, to be a part of a number of committees, and except for critical support in foreign affairs and sovereignty issues, “the support has been palpably absent.”

Trotman said that the invitation came in September 2015 and five committees were recommended – Agriculture, Budget, Border, National Unity and Security.

Trotman told the House that Natural Resources are the patrimony of the people and “we are once again asking for your involvement and support and are willing to sit and discuss the issues and solutions for the improvement of the lives of the citizens and the safeguarding of the motherland.

The Government proposes to establish, in 2018, a multi-sector stakeholder committee for the oil and gas sector that hopefully will comprise civil society and the parliamentary parties alike. I trust that the support will not be withheld.”

(Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell)