ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – A new session of the Grenada Parliament began here on Tuesday with the government announcing that former finance minister Nizam Burke will head a committee to investigate the status of the island’s gas and oil sector.
A foreign-based company, Global Petroleum Group, whose owners are listed as individuals from Russia and Cyprus, had previously conducted an oil and gas exploration work here.
In 2018, then-prime minister Dr. Keith Mitchell said that due to the exploration work, there is a substantial amount of gas and oil in Grenada’s waters. However, in 2020, the company was forced to stop drilling due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
As she delivered the traditional Throne Speech, Governor General Dame Cecile La Grenade said that the Dickon Mitchell government had established the Committee to investigate the status of oil and gas in Grenada’s waters because of a lack of available information.
She said no information was provided to the Mitchell government that came to office following the general elections in June last year.
In an interview with the Government Information Service (GIS) following the ceremonial opening of the Parliament, Prime Minister Mitchell said that no information can be found in any ministry.
“We have no information from anybody,” he said.
Apart from Burke, who will chair the Committee, the other members of the Committee are Richard Duncan, the advisor to the Prime Minister; Raymond Nurse, a Grenadian geologist residing in Germany; the chairman of the Grenada Electricity Services (GRENLEC); Rodney George and a representative from the Attorney General Chamber. Civil society organizations are also expected to nominate a representative.
Without disclosing the Terms of Reference of the Committee, Prime Minister Mitchell said that the Committee will meet with a representative from Global Petroleum Group on Wednesday.
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