When the Petroleum Activities Bill found its way on the National Assembly’s Order Paper of the 67th Sitting after a hiatus, August 9, 2023, a confident David Patterson stood in the well of the Arthur Chung Conference Center, where the House is being hosted, to make his contribution. Patterson, a former Minister of Infrastructure, shadows the Ministry of Natural Resources portfolio.
Patterson was armed and dangerous with thirty-one (31) carefully studied amendments to the proposed legislation. The Bill aimed “to repeal and replace the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act Cap. 65:04 and the Petroleum (Production) Act Cap 65:05; to provide for the exploration, production, storage, and transportation of petroleum in Guyana; and for related matters,” as per the Order Paper.
The Member of Parliament said during his contribution said, “The Bill at best appoints an ” anointed king and emperor over all things petroleum in this country”.
MP Patterson expressed surprise that the then-proposed legislation was “completely silent” in several other critical areas. Patterson said, “One would’ve expected that with the challenges facing our Amerindian brothers and sisters in Chinese Landing and the damning report and recommendations of the IACHR (Inter American Commission on Human Rights), that this government would acknowledge that where there will be conflicts between mining activities and indigenous communities and at least have the minimum respect for our first people by affording them the opportunity of some sort of consultation and consent.”
He added, “This is a government that claims it respects the indigenous communities, yet brings bills to this assembly, which excludes them.” Pointing out other shortcomings of the Bill, Patterson noted there is, “Not a single word on the depositing of funds into the National Resources Fund. Granted that there’s an entire Act, one would’ve expected that there would’ve been at least a clause stating that all revenues garnered bill must be deposited in accordance with this Act. That is why we enshrined it in legislation.”
Additionally, he pointed out to the Speaker that Guyana is the highest emitter per capita of Scope Three greenhouse gases in the world from two wells. “This is coming from a party that is being led by the ‘Champion of the Earth’. This is shameful and unacceptable. By virtue of bringing this Bill for approval with such significant omissions it is signaling to the world and I’m now quoting I’m quoting from the words of the late, great Bob Marley, that we are now is now a “Pimpers’ Paradise”, Patterson chided to government. “So operators can come and do what they want. Thankfully, sir, democracy requires an Opposition.”
Patterson said while not addressing all the issues, which would have required a complete rewrite of this bill, it is something that we strongly recommend. “We have submitted some amendments. Even if these amendments are improved and approved in their entirety, sir, they’d only go a small way in curing defense defects in this bill.”
