Pres. Ali gives no timeline for Petroleum Commission

…but says Govt. should not strong-arm oil sector

Three years after taking is a complex one which has accountability That is why office the Irfaan Ali tobecarefullyexamined. we have taken an arm’sGovernment is yet to fulfill “The new bill has to be length approach in terms of one its elections campaign very comprehensive. That’s many aspects, whether it is promise- to establish a to take a lot of new the Sovereign Wealth Fund Petroleum Commission. c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n t o and different aspects of the This commitment to consideration. It’s very industry itself, ” the Guyanese in the PPP/C’s important that every Presidentsaid. manifesto should have been stakeholder and every view He explained that in done shortly after taking is taken on board, so the bill much of the government’s office. And after being in willbeonethatisresponsive work, it has sought the have such commissions to office for three years it of the whole national view counsel of international manage the oil sector Even cannot provideanytimeline that surrounds the sector consultants. He stressed that as he steps over the fact that forthistobedone. itself,”thePresidentsaid. these are people who have it was the governing PresidentAliheldapress He was also asked the experience. “So I don’t administrationthatpromised conference on Wednesday, whether he believes, in the seethegovernmentastaking and argued for a Petroleum during which he spent over early stages of the oil a strong arm, even in our Commission in the run-up to a n h o u r o u t l i n i n g sector’s development, that normal course of business. I the 2020 General and achievements of the the government should have see the government as a Regional Elections, the administration. However, no a strong arm in the facilitator of growth and government continues to mention was made of the management of the sector development.” evade calls to provide a Petroleum Commission in beyond a policymaking He expressed that t i m e l i n e f o r t h e his opening statement. The level. This strong arm has government should not be in establishment of this institution would provide a been the practical effect of the “business of business”, commission. much needed layer of t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s but only in the “business of Kaieteur News has protection, guarding the oil slothfulness in establishing facilitatingbusiness”. demonstrated that with the and gas sector from the theCommission. Meanwhile, when the configuration of the tentacles of political control. Ali refused such same question is put to Vice Petroleum Activities Bill, When asked what has held insinuations, arguing that he President Dr Bharrat which vastly expands the the government back from does not believe the Jagdeo, he is often powers of political hands in e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e government should have a dismissive, arguing that the oil sector, the PPP/C Commission, the President strong arm in anything. “We there are countries around government’s promise of a said there have been no want high levels of the world that are still Petroleum Commission is humbugs, but that the issue t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d corrupt even though they nothingbutapipedream.