By Alva
Solomon - April 20, 20170942
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Minister of
Natural Resources , Raphael Trotman (right),addresses the Economic Services
Committee as Junior Minister of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes (center) and
another official of the ministry look on.
AS the
country’s petroleum sector evolves, the authorities will consider whether the
citizenry will receive benefits directly such as year-end cheques,or via social
services within the regions.
This was
noted on Wednesday by Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman when he
appeared before the Economic Services Committee of the National Assembly to provide
an update on the work of the Natural Resources Ministry. Junior Minister,
Simona Broomes and staff of several agencies which fall under the umbrella of
the ministry,including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the
Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC),accompanied the ministerial team.
The ministers
and support staff were asked by the committee for updates on the oil and gas
sector, the aftermath of Chinese logging company Bai Shan Lin’s closure of
operations in Guyana as well as information on the mining syndicates.
Trotman
during his presentation, told the committee which is chaired by Minister of
Communities, Ronald Balkan, that the population will benefit from the petroleum
sector after American oil giant ExxonMobil starts pumping gas in commercial
quantities mid-2020. In his update, Trotman told the committee that the
government has completed the structure for the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill, an
aspect of the regulatory framework for the oversight of the country’s newest
economic sector. He said that the bill will have budget support or what he
termed “budget stabilization” which he noted is to ensure that the ministry of
Finance is capable of carrying out programmes relative to the petroleum sector.
He said that
government will ensure that the nation’s children and adults can benefit from
the “finite” resource, noting oil will not be around forever. To this end he
mentioned that social programmes will be undertaken from the funds of the
sector to ensure everyone has the best education and health care. He elaborated
that the authorities will ensure both citizens and regions benefit from the oil
revenues.
Members of
the committee during Wednesday’s meeting
“The idea is
that regions would receive a percentage perhaps following the fiscal transfer
system as is use currently,” Trotman said noting that the decision will rest
with the Minister of Finance and ultimately the National Assembly. He further
explained that the population can receive benefits in a variance, in which each
citizen would receive a cheque at year end such as what occurs in Alaska. On
the other hand he noted the funds can be provided to each region of the country
for the development of various sectors. This occurs in Peu and Colombia, he
noted.
He added that
Regions Five, Six and Ten will benefit from the establishment of a petroleum
facility which is carded for Crab Island in Berbice. Meanwhile, as the ministry
works along with ExxonMobil to determine the volume of the natural gas in the
Stabroek Block, Trotman assured the committee that the ministry will pay keen
attention to the usage of the gas. “What is for certain is that we would not be
squandering the gas or flaring the gas,” he said.
He noted that
the idea of the resuscitation of an alumina plant can become a reality since a
plant of such nature requires high energy and the natural gas plant can produce
that energy required to power the plant. Trotman posited that Guyana may be
able to access 50 million cubic feet per day of natural gas which by
calculation can provide the country with 200 megawatts of power. He said the
move can become the answer to some of the country’s electricity woes.
As it relates
to Chinese logging company, Bai Shan Lin, Trotman informed the committee that
the government was left with “little choice” following a national outcry
regarding the company’s forest practises as well as the entity’s heavy
financial indebtedness. He said the GFC made futile efforts to recoup monies
owed by the company and as such, the logging company could not be allowed to
operate without honouring its financial obligations to the state.
Trotman said
government is concerned about the logs which were left lying behind,and he
noted that the situation would be assessed to determine whether the logs will
be auctioned or sold to individual companies.
2005 La Guayana
Esequiba – Zona en Reclamación. Instituto Geográfico Simón Bolívar
Primera Edición
La Guayana Esequiba Zona en
Reclamación
Terminología sobre cómo referenciar
la Zona en Reclamación-Guayana Esequiba.
Nota del editor del blog:
Al referenciarse a la República
Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500Km2, de
territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de
Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra del 17 de
febrero de 1966.
Territorios estos sobre los cuales el
Gobierno Venezolano en representación de la Nación venezolana se reservó sus
derechos sobre los territorios de la Guayana Esequiba en su nota del 26 de mayo
de 1966 al reconocerse al nuevo Estado de Guyana:
“...por lo tanto, Venezuela reconoce
como territorio del nuevo Estado, el que se sitúa al este de la margen derecha
del río Esequibo y reitera ante la comunidad internacional, que se reserva
expresamente sus derechos de soberanía territorial sobre la zona que se
encuentra en la margen izquierda del precitado río; en consecuencia, el
territorio de la Guayana Esequiba sobre el cual Venezuela se reserva
expresamente sus derechos soberanos, limita al Este con el nuevo Estado de
Guyana, a través de la línea del río Esequibo, tomando éste desde su nacimiento
hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Atlántico...”
Mapa que señala el
Espacio de Soberanía Marítima Venezolana que se reserva, como Mar
Territorial mediante el Decreto Presidencial No 1152 del 09 de
Julio de 1968
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