With the direction Guyana is headed, women who want to make a mark in the country’s burgeoning oil and gas industry need to position themselves aptly. This advice was offered to a local non-governmental organisation – Women in Energy (WIE) – by the British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller, as it launched operations on Thursday evening.
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“Decisions made with women are better decisions. You have the skills. You have everything to contribute to the business. Claim your seat at the table. Do not wait to be asked. You should not wait. There is an opportunity there at the table – take it,” said the British envoy.
WIE has a simple but critical mandate; it is committed to abetting women in the energy and mineral industry, connecting with industry professionals and providing training to boost their knowledge of Guyana’s energy sector. The NGO was founded in 2019 by Abbigale Loncke; at that time, it was Women in Oil and Gas. The name change, as explained by WIE Director of Public Relations Michelle A. Nicholas, falls in line with the world’s transition to cleaner, greener energy.
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“We have been putting in the work for years but now, see us reimagined, see us reinvigorated,” Nicholas said.
WIE’s launch featured comments from women who have already positioned themselves in the heart of Guyana’s oil sector. Among them was Public Relations Manager for Guyana’s largest shore base, Gomatie Gangadin. She was happy to note that the Guyana Shore Base’s staff complement comprises over 95 women, in major positions from field staff to senior management.
“This is not by chance; it is the result of a conscious decision by our management to ensure women are included, counted, and their contributions valued within this emerging field,” she stated.
Also delivering remarks at the launch was European Union Ambassador, Fernando Ponz Cantó. He urged the women to push sustainable energy projects in Guyana.
“It is important to make full use of all the wonderful resources Guyana has but we are in a transition towards a more tenable future and women will play perhaps the most fundamental role in this transition,” the EU Ambassador noted.
Membership with the organisation allows women to also be empowered by women colleagues in the oil and gas and energy sector, explore current and future opportunities in this emerging space and network to improve their business and professional endeavours.
