President appoints advisor on petroleum

The government has appointed Dr. Jan Mangal, an expert in offshore and civil engineering, as Petroleum Advisor in the Ministry of the Presidency.

A release from the Ministry of the Presidency said that Dr Mangal, a Guyanese by birth, brings with him a wealth of technical expertise and experience in the area of oil and gas development. The announcement was made this afternoon at State House, where President David Granger, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon and Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman met with Dr. Mangal.

Harmon informed that a contract has been signed, which brings into effect Dr. Mangal’s appointment as of today. “He will be advising us on the development of the petroleum industry. He will be advising the Minister and the Ministry of Natural Resources on matters of policy… We are happy to have a Guyanese person possessing the skills that are now available to us,” Harmon said.

Dr. Mangal, the release said, has a Doctorate in Offshore Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Edinburgh. He worked in marine and oil and gas industries for the past 18 years in various parts of the world including the United States, West Africa, and the Philippines.

Dr Mangal (centre) flanked by Minister Harmon (left) and Minister Trotman (Ministry of the Presidency photo)