Parliament has passed the Hydrocarbon Exploration Incentives Bill 2017, containing a package of incentives for oil and gas exploration.
Leader of Government Business, Hon Gregory Bowen, who brought the bill before the House says the plan is to determine the existence of natural deposits of oil and gas as well as the quality, and quantity.
“You bring in the rake, you bring in all the equipment; you utilise, but you take it out at the end of the day and the rake has to go back. Should the person pay customs duties?” questioned Bowen, who is also the country’s Works Minister.
“We are saying no.”
Bowen said investors who also have to bring in vehicles for work purposes “will get duty concessions” a maximum of 6 vehicles.
“If you want to bring in vehicles on the island because you want to take people out and you want to take goods and services from here ….you want to buy products from the firms in Grenada to drop it back on the pier for a boat to take it to the rig, we say a maximum of 6 vehicles you will get duty concessions on.”
The government will be advocating for locals to be employed on the rig for the period of exploration.
Economic Development Minister, Hon Oliver Joseph threw his full support behind the bill.
“The good thing about the Bill is that it’s there for everyone to see,” said Bowen.
“It’s not the investors going and meet with Minister Bowen and working out a deal, it’s there in law. All other companies want to come to Grenada to explore, they will know what is there… clear and simple in legislation. And this is the kind of approach I like and that is what I like about this government, being transparent and open.”
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OK, lets back track.. You sign a contract with a known contractor for exploring the existance of hydrocarbons. You have said contractor standing by with his sub-contractors and staff ready to commence operation and then you pass this “Hydrocarbon Exploration Incentitive Bill 2017. Question.. Are these incentives the demanded of this contractor as part of the deal, or are these Government dictating terms?
Its a known fact in certain quarters that we’ve been here before. Same administration and same named contractor. coinsidence one ask!!!,
With the jobs issue, it sounds good, “employment”, box ticked… how many Grenadians have the skills to operate on an oil exploration vessel or platform?. This isnt construction..