Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has pledged that $100 million would be given to the University of Guyana (UG) to better prepare the institution for training and development in light of the incoming oil and gas industry.
Speaking on Thursday at the inaugural stakeholder engagement session at the Education Lecture Theatre (ELT) at the UG, Trotman said that while the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has not been signed yet, he is committing the sum of money to the institution. “We are exploring and we will have to hurry up and get it signed but I am ensuring [it],” Trotman said.
He pointed out that they are currently exploring linkages with other international universities to ensure that persons can be trained as quickly as possible. He added that they want a partnership with UG to have programmes where persons can be trained here and also overseas.
He further explained that the move was part of the ministry’s initiative of supporting and strengthening the education sector and as such the technical schools will also be supported. So far, applications have been received from persons all over expressing their interest and the ministry is hoping to collaborate with UG’s faculties and the students.
Persons were allowed to field questions and many of them raised the issue of scholarships and the possibility of there being an influx of persons coming from Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname to take up jobs in the oil and gas sector. One attendee suggested to Trotman that the government and the university should put aside their “laid back attitude” and “take the bull by the horn” in getting the cream of the crop and offering them full scholarships in all fields geared towards the new industry.
In response, Trotman related that the ministry has gathered the top CSEC performers and are going to be giving them scholarships. “Many of them have said they would like to go abroad to study but we see UG as a place they should come to first,” he said, while noting that he believes there is a lot of benefit for persons to begin their studies at UG.
In terms of there being an influx of foreigners, Trotman said, “Let’s be practical and let’s be fair. We are in 2017 and heading into production by 2020. Guyana does not have all of the skills required to develop the oil and gas industry and we can’t fool ourselves into thinking we do, we don’t. What we can do is start preparing.”
He explained that the Liza Well is expected to be in place for some 25 years and while “we may not get it at its beginning we certainly will get there long before the end and this is why we are here at UG.” In terms of stopping the influx of persons from the Caribbean, he said, “As to what I will do or the government will do to stop it, well I am not sure as I said we do have something called the CSME [Caricom Single Market Economy]. Guyana, I believe, waves that CSME certificate throughout the Caribbean and we can be found in every place from Haiti right through to Trinidad. We have to be careful as we champion the CSME ourselves that it is not used as a sword against us,” he added.
He added that he personally does not want to see an influx of “everyone from everywhere” doing what Guyanese can do and as such the government will be looking at the entire issue of local skills to see how many Guyanese they can get engaged as quickly as possible. “I can tell you that Guyanese from all around the world are starting to send their CVs to come and we have to find that bridge and the facilities to ensure that they can,” Trotman added.
He also noted that they are working on a membership scheme where they help young people to “fall in love with their country.” He said in July and August they hope to have two batches of about 20 youths each going into the interior and being assigned to places such as Guyana Geology and Mines Com-mission (GGMC) and Guyana Forest Commission (GFC) along with others where they will be able to visit the operations of some of the extractive industries.
He also explained that they have started the process of reclaiming lands since it was distressing and embarrassing to fly over several places and see “gaping holes with pools of water that breed mosquitoes that spread diseases. It is unsightly and wrong for us to leave our country in that state.”
Trotman added that $3 million will be set aside for any innovative idea that the youths might may wish to bring to them so that they can offer their assistance.
