Department of Energy head “fit and proper” – President Granger
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, August 2, 2018
President David Granger said today that he is confident of the work that will be executed by the recently appointed head of the newly established Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe as the unit takes off the ground.
Dr. Bynoe, an Environment and Resource Economist was appointed to the post by President Granger. He officially took up the appointment on August 1. According to President Granger, Dr Bynoe will be tasked with identifying qualified persons to be part of the department.
“We have been searching for someone who is experienced, not necessarily in petroleum, but who has the intelligence and the experience to find people who are experienced for the important industry… He knows enough to find people to make that sector functional,” the president told the media today.
He added that the government over the last seven months has been examining the state of the energy industry, especially following the recommendation by Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman that a department be established for this.
Dr. Bynoe has the responsibility of embarking on a four-phase programme for the establishment of the department.
The first phase is administrative in which he will assemble a team of people to work in the department, President Granger said. The second is the issue of rationalisation. The Head of State said the petroleum units, within the Ministry of Natural Resources and other ministries, will have to be transferred to the department of energy. The government is also looking at the operationalisation of the department.
“A lot of work has to be done, we have to advertise for experts all over the world and we have to look at drafting legislation, look at financing and we have to look at all aspects of the operationalisation of the department “.
He said it is “an early day yet”, however, he hopes that much of the work will be completed within the month of August.
By: Alexis Rodney
Image: Jameel Mohamed