Georgetown: Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud recently headed a Guyana delegation to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, attending several meetings focused on improving the technical capacity of Guyana for natural resources development.
Minister Persaud, who was accompanied by Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles, held several high-level meetings with various Government and private sector institutions which could help Guyana in building its technical human resources for an improved level of natural resources management, both in the private and public sectors.
Minister Persaud met Premier of Alberta, Dave Hancock, who is also Innovation and Advanced Education Minister. He indicated that Guyana can partner with the technical institutions of Alberta to improve public policy for the governance of the natural resources sector. Officials of the two Governments also discussed matters relating to applied science and technology for collaboration with the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc and the University of Guyana.
The Natural Resources and Environment Minister also discussed matters relating to the development of a new regulatory framework for the minerals and oil and gas sectors as well as issues of fiscal management.
Minister Persaud stated that while Guyana has been working extractive sectors for over 115 years, the Government is committed to ensuring that there is greater responsibility and accountability of the management of the sectors and that future generation could benefit from the wealth of these natural resources.
Minister Persaud also met with International and Inter-governmental Relations Minister of Alberta Cal Dallas. The meeting between the two Ministers explored areas of trade and investment opportunities in the Americas for the two diversified economies. The Ministers noted that both Guyana and Alberta have economic starting bases. Both economies have a strong agricultural foundation for economic growth and development.
Minister Persaud highlighted that there is a high potential for the development of an oil and gas sector of the Guyana economy and that there is much that can be adopted for the principles of growth, which have been successful in Alberta.
Minister Dallas stated that there is much emphasis on hydrocarbon development of the Guyanese economy and the entire natural resources sector, in general. The two Ministers agreed that cooperation could be established for areas of improved regulations, land use frameworks, water usage, air quality, biodiversity and options for creation of a sovereign wealth fund.
The Guyana delegation included Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Chairman Clinton Williams; Finance Ministry, Fiscal and Monetary Division head Donald Dyal; and Natural Resources and Environment Ministry Senior Policy Analyst/Advisor, Bobby Gossai Jr.
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