“In ten years from now, Guyana will not be the same,” Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, proclaimed yesterday during the opening of the new Shell Gas Station located at Enmore, East Coast Demerara.
The minister, who is now at the centre of a mushrooming scandal over the auditing of ExxonMobil’s expenses, elaborated on the groundbreaking carbon credits deal that Guyana has secured, emphasising the immense benefits it holds for both the hinterland and coastland. “Guyana is arguably the only country in the world that has signed a carbon credit deal on a jurisdictional level, set to bring in over US$750 million”, he asserted.
He said that the government, in a proactive move, has allocated 15 per cent of the US$750 million to bridge the gap between the hinterland and the coastland. “We have communities that have received $35 million, $24 million, or $18 million, depending on their population.”, he said.