Former Premier of Alberta, Canada, Alison Redford, who led a team of experts to review the work that was done by the Department of Energy for the Payara Development project offshore Guyana, strongly advocated for full transparency in the oil and gas sector, on her previous visits to the South American country.
Back in 2017, Ms. Redford participated in the first major oil and gas conference to be held in Guyana, organized by the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA).
Speaking at the event which was held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, she said full consultation is integral for economic development and success of any policy or project and this is particularly important as the country embarks on a new journey as an oil producing nation.
Alluding to her experience in Canada while holding political and legal portfolios, she spoke of the challenges and errors that were involved in the oil and gas policymaking process, noting that without extensive consultation with communities and industries to be affected, challenges could have emerged and stall policies for years.
“Without a clear understanding and everyone working together on what your goals are for this wonderful resource that you have, there will be misunderstanding, miscommunication and perhaps not quite enough trust to make this project as successful as it could be for Guyana,” she said at the time.
Ms. Redford visited Guyana again in 2018 where she made a presentation at the first Guyana International Petroleum Exhibition and Summit (GIPEX).
She said at the time, it does not matter how efficiently an administration’s stewardship of the industry is since civil society “has an opinion” and it is this that will ultimately determine whether or not a country or government is able to effectively manage the resources.
Ms. Redford has served as a World Bank Advisor on Gas Sector Reform in Pakistan and Afghanistan and in other jurisdictions, as they develop new approaches to upstream regulation, transparency, and accountability, inclusive of community engagement. As Premier of Alberta, she introduced the Responsible Energy Development Act which created the Alberta Energy Regulator. The Act sets out rigorous regulation, compliance, and enforcement provisions on all aspects of oil and gas production, including permits and licenses.
Further, she also developed the Canadian Energy Strategy for Canadian First Ministers and the Transition Energy Initiative for the Conference Board of Canada.
Following the review conducted by Ms. Redford’s team, the Guyana government granted final approvals for the Payara Development, with recommendations, on Wednesday, and ExxonMobil has since proceeded to make its final investment decision.
