The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will invite expressions of interest from international professionals to staff its oil and gas unit after recent efforts to recruit locals failed to produce suitably qualified and experienced persons.
This development stalls the development of the oversight unit, EPA Executive Director Dr Vincent Adams told Sunday Stabroek recently. He observed that the unit’s establishment, as well as the EPA’s general operations, are likely to be further impeded by the virtual certainty of a very late annual budget, in light of the general and regional elections on March 2nd, and the resulting budget constraints.
Last year, the EPA on two occasions invited expressions of interest to fill various posts. These recruitment initiatives were intended to boost the agency’s general capacity, as well as to staff the intended oil and gas unit.
Adams shared that hundreds of applications were received. He was, however, unable to give the disaggregated number of persons who applied for posts related to the oil and gas unit. These positions included petroleum, environmental and geological engineers, as well as attorneys.
The University of Guyana (UG) now offers programmes in geological and petroleum engineering as well as a degree in civil with environmental engineering. However, these programmes are relatively new, so while there are some graduates, many of them have been absorbed by the Department of Energy and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Adams said. He noted that in any event, the recent graduates may not have the experience the EPA is looking for to hit the ground running in its regulation of the growing oil and gas sector.
The EPA chief lamented that none of the persons who applied had the relevant combination of qualifications and experience. He also shared that while some civil engineers did apply, the skillset is not identical to what will be required to operate effectively in that unit.
The shift in the recruitment field also means that the complement of staffers for the unit may be reduced. Adams had said that the unit is to be staffed with around 36 professionals. He told Stabroek News, however, that attracting and keeping foreign professionals will require more attractive remuneration packages. Usually, remuneration packages aimed at attracting foreign professionals would need to take into consideration acquiring accommodation. Often, the figure also seeks to compensate the professional for any work opportunity the person would be passing up to move to Guyana.
While Adams was unable to say exactly what the new remuneration packages will be, he said it will be substantial, likely necessitating a reduction in the number of persons that will be hired.
But even if the EPA invites expressions of interest from regional professionals, the hiring process will still be delayed as the agency will have no budget to execute this undertaking before 2nd March 2020, and likely several months thereafter, given the time it usually takes to prepare, debate, and pass an annual budget.
