Authorities in Guyana are urging citizens to guard against signing up for oil and gas academic programmes being offered by institutions with no legal standing.
In a statement on Saturday, the country’s Ministry of Natural Resources said it is urging the public to be careful when signing up for online courses in oil and gas and to ensure that any programme being embarked upon is accredited.
There have been instances before in the South American country where persons were duped into signing up and paying monies for courses at what turned out to be bogus institutions. Persons associated with these and other fraudulent schemes, some of whom have faced the courts, still operate at varying degrees, pushing schemes that are at best; borderline legal, or at worst, completely bogus.
The ministry said there has been a noticeable increase in institutions offering courses in oil and gas education. “The Ministry hereby states that if the occasion arises, it will indicate publicly which institution, training programme or course for oil and gas related education it recommends or endorses. We strongly urge persons to engage in their own due diligence checks before investing in any oil and gas related educational pursuit,” the ministry said.
To date, neither the natural resources ministry nor any other authority in Guyana, has endorsed any individual or newly established institution claiming to be offering courses in oil and gas education.
