[www.inewsguyana.com] – Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud headed a Guyana delegation to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for several meeting which focused on improving the technical capacity of Guyana for natural resources development.
Minister Persaud, who was accompanied by Dr. Nicole Giles, High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, held several high level meetings with various Government and private sector institutions which could help Guyana in building its technical human resources for an improved level of natural resources management at both the private and public sectors.
Minister Persaud met Dave Hancock, QC; Premier of Alberta who is also Minister, Innovation and Advanced Education, where he indicated that Guyana can partner with the technical institutions of Alberta to improve on the public policy for the governance of the natural resources sector.
The two Government officials also discussed matters relating to applied science and technology for collaboration with the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc. and the University of Guyana.
Minister Persaud also discussed matters relating to the development of a new regulatory framework for the minerals and oil and gas sectors as well as issues of fiscal management. Minister Persaud stated that whilst Guyana has been working extractive sectors for over 115 years, the Government of Guyana is committed to ensuring that there is greater responsibility and accountability of the management of the sectors and that future generation can benefit from the wealth of these natural resources.
Minister Persaud paid also met with Cal Dallas; Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations of Alberta. The meeting between the two Ministers explored areas of trade and investment opportunities in the Americas for the two diversified economies.
The Ministers noted that both Guyana and Alberta have economic starting bases. Both economies have a strong agricultural foundation for economic growth and development. Minister Persaud highlighted that there is a high potential for the development of an oil and gas sector of the Guyana economy and that there is much that can be adopted for the principles of growth which have been successful in Alberta.
Minister Dallas stated that there is much emphasis on the hydrocarbon development of the Guyanese economy and the entire natural resources sector, in general. The two Ministers agreed that cooperation can be establish for areas of improved regulations, land use frameworks, water usage, air quality, biodiversity and options for creation of a sovereign wealth fund.
The Guyana delegation included Mr. Clinton Williams, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Geology and Miens Commission, Mr. Donald Dyal, Head of the Fiscal & Monetary Division within the Ministry of Finance and Mr. Bobby Gossai, Jr., Senior Policy Analyst/Advisor of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.
