Even though it was hamstrung by financial constraints due to the absence of a 2020 budget, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), still managed to advance capacity building for staff members so that they can be better able to monitor new sectors like oil and gas.
Guyana Standard understands that during the period April to July, the agency aggressively pursued and participated in approximately 35 webinars which addressed the growing demand for pollution control and environmental management. These were executed through networking and collaboration with international organizations such as the International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA), the International Development Bank (IDB),the International Offshore Petroleum Environmental Regulators (IOPER), The Responsible Mining Foundation (RMF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
EPA officials noted that staff members would have advanced their knowledge in areas such as enforcing socio-economic compliance in the era of social distancing; communication strategies; compliance and enforcement of Impact Assessment (EsIA) requirements, commitments, and related permit conditions; remote sensing for mineral exploration and geohazards; and Geo-Engineering and Geo-Environmental Hazards Monitoring and Management.
The agency noted that the foregoing training was critical as the agency’s success in the face of new challenges in the oil and gas industry, among others, will no doubt be heavily reliant on the ability of its skilled personnel.
