I write to make an urgent appeal to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Prime Minister regarding the Oil Pollution Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Responsibility Bill 2025, tabled by the Prime Minister last Friday.
This legislation represents one of the most critical environmental and economic bills ever presented to our Parliament. The reliance of the national economy on a single sector or company has never before been greater – drawings from the NRF into the Consolidated Fund account for 50% of 2025 revenues. And that is only part of the total direct revenue from the oil-producing companies. Clearly, then, any oil spill could have enormous consequences: the emphasis should be on prevention rather than cleaning up. That is what makes this Bill so important.
My assessment of the Bill is that it has technical deficiencies and legal ambiguities that could undermine its effectiveness. For example, clause 21 is framed in overly broad language that may inadvertently invalidate standard parent company guarantees essential to international oil operations. The Bill also lacks specific technical standards for response capabilities, relying on undefined terms like “adequate response.” Most concerning, it provides no dedicated funding mechanism for Commission operations, effectively requiring taxpayers to subsidise preparedness for corporate environmental risks.
I therefore appeal to our leaders to:
Immediately refer the Bill to a Select Committee.
Establish clear terms of reference for a comprehensive technical review.
Allow adequate time for stakeholder consultation and expert input.
Ensure that the Committee reports back with amendments before the Bill is returned to the National Assembly.
While I understand the urgency to establish regulatory frameworks, hasty passage of deficient legislation serves no one’s interests. We have seen, in the case of the Natural Resource Fund Act, the detrimental effects of rushing through critical legislation without adequate consultation and participation. The stakes are too high for anything less than the best efforts of the National Assembly and all Guyanese.
Sincerely,
