People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) Leader, Aubrey Norton announced during a press conference on Tuesday that his party’s oil and gas framework will be released closer to the 2025 General and Regional elections. This announcement follows the Alliance For Change (AFC) revealing plans to release its oil and gas policy this week, which led to inquiries about when the PNCR would present a similar document.
Norton stated, “We have consistently outlined our policy positions on oil and gas, and so it is not for the lack of a policy. What you are seeking is one document. We will, as I’ve said before, have a clear oil and gas policy document for the electorate as we move towards the elections. But most of it is already out there, because we have identified it…”
The PNCR has been vocal in its criticism of the government’s management of the oil and gas sector, particularly of Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who oversees the country’s oil and gas policies. Norton’s criticisms of the sector often arise in response to current issues and questions posed at his press conferences.
Despite this, Norton has not fully disclosed a comprehensive policy framework for the sector, or disclosed details about the experts of the PNCR’s oil and gas committee.
In contrast, the AFC has been active in outlining its oil and gas policies as it prepares for the 2025 general election. David Patterson, a member of the AFC’s oil and gas committee, recently announced that the party will unveil its policy soon, offering a more detailed examination of their stance on the industry.
Moreover, Norton’s party has been critical of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed by the previous Coalition government with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL). While Norton has not called for renegotiation of the lopsided deal, he has suggested that when in office, the PNCR can engage with Exxon to garner more benefits for the Guyanese populace.
Notably, when asked during the press conference how his party intends to increase Guyana’s share from oil, Norton pointed to a section in the contract that provides for engagement with the oil company. While he did not specify what areas the PNCR will be looking at he said, “no area is a sacred cow.”
