Transforming Guyana Episode II: How should Guyana balance exploiting her oil and gas 

July 13, 2022

The GBJ & CPC Transforming Guyana Webinars will: 

(i) Bring together experts and prominent voices from Guyana, the diaspora, and around the world to discuss the impacts of Guyana’s oil and gas development; 

(ii) Offer a nuanced look at the opportunities and potential pitfalls ahead for Guyana; 

(iii) Explore strategies to maximize the positive impacts of the oil revenues on Guyana’s people and her future while mitigating the risks that other countries have faced; and 

(iv) Identify the most promising roles the Diaspora can play in this transformation. 

In Episode II, the panel focuses on balancing the exploitation oil and gas resources and protecting the environment.

THE GUYANA BUSINESS JOURNAL & THE CARIBBEAN POLICY CONSORTIUM are dedicated to exploring and understanding the Guyanese and Caribbean economy’s key issues and developing concrete policy proposals in support of the region’s socio-economic and political development.

SPEAKERS

Kemraj Parsram, Executive Director of Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A graduate of the University of Guyana with a Diploma in Forestry (1992-1994), and Bachelor of Science, Environmental Studies (1994-1998), he also graduated with a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management (2001-2003) from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. He has pursued academic research and field studies at the Doctoral level in Marine Resources Governance (2008-2013) at the University of the West Indies, Barbados. More recently (2018), he received a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy from the University of New Delhi. He is an expert in the fields of environmental and natural resources management, law, policy, and governance in the wider Caribbean.

Dax Driver, President and CEO of The Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Driver has been the chief executive of of The Energy Chamber for more than two decades. During his tenure he has overseen the complete transformation of the organization into an extremely well respected and recognized Chamber, with a reach across the entire Caribbean region. He has extensive knowledge of the energy industry and the policy issues impacting the sector, especially in small island and middle-income economies, and the impact of industry on the economy, society and the environment. His is a strong but unusual academic background for somebody in his position. He holds a PHD from the University of London in environmental history of Southern Africa. He is passionate about bringing value to the member companies of the Energy Chamber and especially in helping them navigate the challenging environment and the uncertainties brought about by the energy transition.

Lorraine Sobers, Fulbright Scholar and Lecturer at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. Dr. Sobers has a BS in Chemical Engineering and postgraduate degrees, MS and Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering. She has 19 years of experience in the energy sector and specializes in geologic storage of carbon dioxide. Dr. Sobers is the Project Coordinator for the Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction Mobilization (CERM) Project and a Fellow of the Caribbean Policy Consortium,

Neville Trotz, Dr. Trotz served as Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Guyana and Director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology at Turkeyen, Guyana, before becoming Science Adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary-General (1991-1997). Most recently he served as Science Adviser to the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, based in Belmopan, Belize.

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