Gonsalves dubs Guyana ‘cornerstone’ in regional energy development

Guyana is among the leaders in the Caribbean region’s fight against climate change and advancing the energy sector, said Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, at the opening of the country’s International Energy Conference and Expo in Georgetown the capital city.

The energy conference and expo is held at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston under the theme ‘Harnessing Energy for Development’.

Gonsalves said Guyana’s new-found oil wealth will facilitate building a “modern, competitive, many-sided, post-colonial economy” that can bring development to all citizens. He said the industry is one that requires strategic navigation. In this regard, he noted that Guyana can be a leader.

This leadership role, the PM noted, is duplicated in the region’s continued endeavour to achieve food security. He lauded Georgetown’s policies which will reduce carbon emissions and utilise the country’s resources for the benefit of all, simultaneously.

“From the Guyanese government, there is a concept of integration which holds great promise for the region, and for Guyana to play an important role in that integration movement,” Dr Gonsalves said.

Dr Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the oldest oil producer in the Caribbean, echoed Gonsalves but added that countries in the Region reserve the right to utilise their oil and gas resources to spur economic growth.

The International Energy Conference and Expo 2023 was officially declared open by His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who afterward conducted a walkthrough of the exhibition site, accompanied by ministers of government.

The mega event provides the platform for various stakeholders to extend the conversation on oil and gas (O&G) investments, renewable energy, climate change mitigation, and other concerns regarding the energy sector in Guyana and the region.

Some 200 exhibitors are also showcasing non-O&G sectors such as agriculture, tourism, mining, and forestry for the benefit of an estimated 800 delegates and sponsors. The next four days will also see professionals networking and exchanging ideas for the future of energy conservation, and development. It is intended to showcase Guyana’s massive potential for growth in all sectors, driven in part by the burgeoning oil and gas sector.

This year has seen a significant hike in participants from 130 last year to 200 in 2023 and the theme supports the government’s commitment to utilising Guyana’s O&G resources for the benefit of all citizens.