Trotman flays ill-informed ‘experts’ on draft Local Content Policy

Government has taken some level of umbrage over what was described as ill-informed critics afforded a platform over the National Local Content Policy for the Oil and Gas Sector, with substantive Minister Raphael Trotman, reminding that the document currently in the public domain is but a working draft meant to still benefit from countrywide consultations.
Trotman was at the time speaking at a stakeholder engagement forum held at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, which saw in attendance representatives of key local interest groups such as the Guyana Bar Association, the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association, (GMSA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Guyana Aircraft Owners Association (GAOA), the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the African Business Roundtable, the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA) and representatives of local Chambers of Commerce Chapters among others.
Bemoaning the fact that Government is on a daily basis bombarded by criticism over what it is not doing by the local ‘experts’ voicing their opinions in the local newspapers, Trotman sought to remind of the old adage “Rome was not built in a day.”
With regards the Draft Local Content Policy currently being formulated by the Administration with the help of world renowned, Trinidad-based geologist and industry expert, Anthony Paul, the Minister used the occasion to chastise the ill-informed criticism directed at Government and specifically the Natural Resources Ministry which he heads.

Experts
He quipped that on a per capita basis Guyana has, “the most experts in the world, if we are launching a rocket to the moon Guyanese can tell you how to do so…”
According to Minister Trotman, the plethora of criticism by the ‘experts’ can be frustrating at times.
Speaking specifically to the Government’s push for the development of a Local Content Policy, Trotman said the service of the industry expert was secured with the assistance of the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP).
He told the stakeholders gathered that Paul had completed a rapid assessment which formed the basis of the working draft currently in the public domain.
“With that document we have started to build out and to put the framework in place as to the various parts of what our petroleum sector should look like and how it should be developed.”
Responding to the numerous ‘experts’ with regards what Government should or should not be doing in relation to the sector, Trotman was adamant, “we have to have one plan, we can’t have 50 plans, we as a Government are working in partnership with the UNDP, the Government of Mexico, the Commonwealth Secretariat and so many others.”
Trotman told those gathered that some of the views being expressed on the Local Content Policy being articulated in the dailies are sometimes a source of amusement while others “pain me.”
He said the working draft was shared with stakeholders in an effort to solicit comments and critiques in order to fashion a final document.
He used the occasion to reiterate, the draft shared with stakeholders was never meant to be the final document “it was meant to be a working draft.”

Corruption
The Minister further used the opportunity to speak to assertions that the draft policy failed to adequately address the matter of corruption.
According to Minister Trotman, the local content policy is not meant to tackle corruption, since there are numerous other legislative and other mechanisms in place to effectively address the issue.
He pointed to the Integrity Commission Laws in addition to Guyana’s participation in the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), among others.
The Natural Resources Minister sought to also bring home the point that the final Local Content Policy, is not meant to only guide the operations of the oil and gas sector but will be used to regulate and guide the operations of other industries.
He disclosed that the Administration has been making available regularly briefings on the development of the emerging sector to the current political Opposition in the National Assembly – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Owen Verwey – who was at the time also representing the Business Ministry, sought to impress on stakeholders the steps taken by the Administration thus far through that entity, in order to protect local content in the emerging sector.
According to Verwey, in the absence of a formal Local Content Policy, GO-Invest has been pushing for the greater use of joint venture arrangements between foreign companies looking to cash in on the industry and local counterparts, in order to protect Guyanese interests.