Guyana is seeing increased marine traffic with the establishment of its oil and gas sector. At current capacity, the country’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, says it does not have the facilities to meet the projected increase in marine traffic over the next several years.
On Monday, August 31, President Ali in an address to the country’s Private Sector stated, “In another three years, the growth in traffic will be so immense that we will not be able to process in an efficient and effective, reliable and cost-effective manner, the traffic that will flow through there.”
Therefore, the President stressed that the new Government is now tasked with planning for waterfront development to cater to these growing demands. He said, “So we have to start planning how we will deal with our waterfront development. How will waterfront development emerge? Where are we going to locate chemical type of activities?”
He revealed that a minister has been tasked with securing the services of international experts to assist with this planning. President Ali shared, “I have asked the minister to secure the services of international experts who will come here in a timely manner…to work with the Government and the private sector on a waterfront development, wharf facility development, and a zoning development for Guyana. Very, very critical in moving forward.”
He continued to explain, “With the building, for example, of the energy sector, are we just thinking about an energy sector for existing needs? No, we are talking about an energy sector that can earn foreign currency, and open up opportunity in manufacturing and processing, we are talking about environmental services…” He noted that the Private Sector will be provided with incentives to play a role in this development.
“Everybody is saying that we are starting from behind with the oil and gas, I agree. Trinidad is there long before us, but we just can’t continue saying we are starting from behind. We have to have a clear objective as to where we want to be and what are the investments we need to make to ensure the private sector is there to be part of this future,” he stressed.
