CDC to get US help in building capacity on oil spill prevention, response

The United States Government will be assisting Guyana to develop a national response system by enhancing capacity of the local Civil Defence Commission (CDC) relative to maritime oil spill prevention, planning and response.
This has been announced by the US Embassy in Georgetown on Wednesday. A statement from the Embassy revealed that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the Guyana Civil Defence Commission (CDC) would be getting support from the United States Department of State’s Energy and Mineral Governance Programme (EMGP) for this initiative.
In fact, USCG and the CDC have already begun a six-month series of joint activities designed to assist Guyana in the development of a reliable national response system. A virtual risk assessment workshop is scheduled for this month, to build upon the progress Guyana has already made with the development of its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan and oil spill response capabilities.
The USCG facilitators will guide the participants through an assessment of possible oil spill scenarios in Guyana, to identify the most likely and most consequential scenarios. The results would be used to identify possible improvements and updates in Guyana’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
Other activities in 2022 would include virtual exercise programme management training and in-person exchanges to observe oil spill response exercises.
According to the US Embassy, this partnership is part of America’s continued support for energy governance, and commitment to regional security, to help Guyana build its disaster response capabilities.
Last January, the CDC operationalised the National Oil Spill Response Plan (NOSRP) and the National Oil Spill Committee, in mobilising contingency plans and policy direction dealing with the management of national oil spill events.
The National Oil Spill Response Plan was drafted in 2018 by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), and further strengthened by a working group which was led by the CDC. That draft document was handed over to Government, and the final plan was developed from comprehensive consultations, reviews, testing, and support from national stakeholders.
International partners such as the United States Coast Guard and the International Maritime Organisation also played important roles.
The Committee is the body tasked with overseeing the policy development, revision of the plan, drafting of legislation and regulations, and making recommendations on relevant international conventions that would increase the nation’s capability to deal with, and minimize, incidents of oil spills pollution in Guyana’s environment.
According to CDC Director General Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, the Commission had reached out to the US State Department, having recognised that some of the capacity-building requirements are new and technical and thus require specialised training and appropriate equipment that are not readily available in Guyana.
At the time of the launch last year, Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips had charged the National Oil Spill Committee to be proactive in finding and dealing with potential threats emanating from the oil and gas industry.
“Recognise the individual and institutional responsibilities which have been entrusted upon you. I urge that you prioritise proactivity in both your plans and actions, so that Guyana can aggressively and effectively manage the threats of our oil and gas industry, and attain the fruitful benefits to our economy, citizens, and national development.”
Prime Minister Phillips added that, notwithstanding the vast potential the oil and gas industry possesses to propel Guyana’s growth, it brings with it additional environmental risks that must be taken seriously.
“It cannot be ignored that this industry also presents new threats and risks for our nation, which need to be effectively managed to ensure that our resources and ecosystems remain safe… This National Oil Spill Committee, therefore, has an immense task at hand, which is to oversee and coordinate the national efforts of ensuring that these negative impacts are avoided at all cost.”
Additionally, the PM called for improved collaboration among stakeholders. (G8)