Formulating Decision Rule 2: A state-owned oil refinery

Introduction

Last Sunday’s column (September 3) marked one year of uninterrupted weekly articles addressing the topic: ‘Guyana in the coming time of its oil and gas industry, circa 2020’. A longer series on Guyana’s extractive sector has been ongoing since December 27, 2015. The topic currently being addressed: whether Guyana should establish a local oil refinery, is the penultimate one in the series.

These columns aim at fostering a critical mass of educated/informed Guyanese on the topic. They do not promote any sale of services, silent agendas, self-advertisement, or other hidden wares. My conviction is simply that, Guyana’s best defence going forward with the industry depends on its inclusiveness, nimbleness, innovation and creativity. In truth, there is a humungous variety of global experiences from which to draw lessons; indeed more than six decades of trial and error, as well as resource blessings and curses. There is nothing