CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) which holds a 25% working interest in the Stabroek block, donated a complete solar lighting community system to Moraikobai, the only indigenous village in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
This was done with support from POWERCHINA, one of the world’s largest power construction enterprises. The project was commemorated on Saturday last with a formal handing over ceremony at the Moraikobai Village benab and the unveiling of a plaque in the community.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President of CPGL, Mr Liu Xiaoxiang, shared the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects that CPGL undertakes are designed for success and sustainability.
“We are interested in working together with communities to help them develop their own capacity. We wish to give them a level of capability that would enable them to develop themselves. In the words of Confucius, we are interested in teaching people to fish, not to give them fish.” said Mr Xiaoxiang.
A core team from CPGL and engineers from Power China visited Moraikabai in November to train and supervise the installation of 116 solar lights around the community. Residents were taught how to safely fix and maintain the lights with tools and other equipment including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donated to the village for this purpose. The wood for the poles was also sourced from Moraikobai, a largely logging community.
Toshao Derrick John shared that the Solar Light Community Project is Moraikobai’s second project with the Chinese oil company, citing a previous donation of beds to the Mahaicony Amerindian Hostel in September 2022. “We have the capacity building; now local residents can actually fix anything that needs to be fixed when CNOOC is not here,” said John. He also stated that like every other part of Guyana, Moraikobai is “evolving” and even though the village is 96 miles up the Mahaicony River, “it’s not left behind and it’s not forgotten” because of partners like CPGL that are supporting this “upward rise.”
Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan attended the ceremony which also celebrated winners of the annual CPGL Green Energy and Renewables Essay Competition and launched the visit of the Chinese Medical Brigade on Sunday. Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr Vickram Bharrat along with officials from the Ministry of Education and Region 5 also were in attendance. In all, 130 lights were given to the community along with eight flood lights for the playfield.
Guyana Standard understands that CPGL’s CSR initiatives are selected under four main pillars: developing Amerindian communities, promoting Education, the transition to Clean and Renewable Energy and fostering Safe and Thriving Communities. The Moraikobai Solar Light Community Project embodies all of these.
To date, CPGL has planned and implemented over 30 projects across six regions in Guyana in addition to partnering with Exxon Mobil and Hess on the Greater Guyana Initiative. Some of the initiatives include scholarships for Oil and Gas disciplines at the University of Guyana, and gifting a new roof to Moblissa Primary School on the border of Region 4 and 10.
