Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed frustration over delays in finalizing Guyana’s long-anticipated oil spill legislation, attributing the setback to inefficiencies within the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Dr. Jagdeo noted that while it was his hope to have the National Oil Incident, Emergency Response, and Financial Responsibility Bill tabled in the National Assembly before the end of 2024, this timeline might not be met.
“On that ground I am still waiting for the AG’s Chambers, it was my hope to table the bill before the end of the year the Oil Spill Legislation, they are notoriously slow in the AG’s chambers, notoriously slow I spoken to them about many many times and they just can’t get the final draft out but I am still hoping that if I can’t make it before end of the year it will be early next year…I did say that we will try to make it before the end of the year,” Jagdeo stated.
The Bill will address spillage incidents, especially those occurring during the transportation of petroleum products. The proposed legislation aims to delineate clear responsibilities and liabilities in the event of an oil spill, both on the part of governmental entities and the companies accountable for the spillage.
Jagdeo had previously indicated that the move to introduce this legislation reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening regulatory frameworks in the petroleum sector and the proposed regulations aim to enhance preparedness, response, and accountability in mitigating the environmental and socio-economic impacts of oil spills during transportation activities.
