Opposition demands information on gas to shore project

Last Updated on Monday, 6 February 2023, 16:02 by Denis Chabrol

The opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) wants government to prove that monies being allocated to the gas-to-energy project are properly spent.

In a motion sponsored by coalition parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul and Jermaine Figueira, they are asking Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat to provide the National Assembly with all the information about the project.

“Be it resolved that this National Assembly instructs the Minister of Natural Resources to forthwith lay over to the National Assembly all documents relating to the construction of the Wales Gas-to-Energy Project and the Heads of Agreement signed on June 30, 2022,” the motion states.

The motion states that GY$24,613,000,000 was spent on the project in 2022 and GY$43,300,000,000 was allocated in 2023. 

The motion notes that the National Assembly is yet to be provided with the Final Investment Plan, and the Guyana government signed a Heads of Agreement with the Stabroek Block co-venturers, ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC on June 30, 2022 

In response to Mr Mahipaul’s questions during the Consideration of the 2023 National Budgetary Estimates, Prime Minister Matk Phillips had said the documents would be made available in “due course.”

The opposition lawmaker assumed that the project is being executed in “secrecy” because the Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had rescued Mr Phillips during question time by seeking to provide a response on the provision of the information.