National Oil Spill Committee launches today
First Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips (center); Director General of the Civil Defense Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig (right); and Project Manager, Civil Defense Commission, Ms Anita Wilson; pictured are copies of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
Kaieteur News – The National Oil Spill Committee (NOSC) is ready to hold its first orientation today. This follows the Civil Defense Commission (SDC), last year, submitting to the Government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP).
About 25 national stakeholders validated the four-year plan including the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Force Defense of Guyana (GDF) and the CDC.
Kaieteur News also understands that the National Emergency Oil Spill Scheme is crafted with inputs from the Guyana Marine Conservation Society, Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Guyana Shipping Association, ExxonMobil, Tullow, GuyOil, Repsol, Shell, GAICO Construction and other stakeholders.
Colonel Kester Craig, Director General of the CDC, had noted that with the emerging oil and gas sector in Guyana, the need for an oil spill response mechanism that would protect Guyana’s land and sea resources was highlighted , should the need arise.
According to the CDC, the orientation, which will see an opening presentation by Prime Minister Mark Phillips, will formally launch the NOSCP and praise the NOSC in fulfilling its role of preventing oil spills and managing any associated risks across Guyana.