New laws coming as Govt moves to develop gas resources, modern economy – AG

With the Guyana Government pursing an aggressive gas development agenda, efforts are being undertaken to map out key pieces of legislation to govern downstream activities that will come with the development of the country’s natural gas resources.

This was revealed by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlal during a presentation at the Guyana Energy Conference on Thursday.

He said among the slew of legislation that government will be introducing is the Oil and Gas Cooperation Bill that will govern the utilisation of the country’s gas resources.

“We have right now in draft an Oil and Gas Cooperation Bill that will deal with the downstream activities of natural gas…As you know, we are building that capability. We have a gas to shore project that is being completed hopefully by the end of this year and we already have the main statutory cradle for that sector because that’s something separate from the current gas production with which we are dealing. So, we have legislation coming in that regard,” Nandlall explained.

Also in draft are a Comprehensive Environmental Act and a Solid and Liquids Waste Management Bill.

But according to the Legal Affairs Minister, these efforts to build out a modern legislative framework are not confined to the oil and gas sector.

“So, we are using this sector to build out the other sectors and as expected because of this sector you have an explosion in the commercial sector,” he noted.

For instance, Nandal disclosed that in 2025 alone some 36,251 new businesses were registered and another 1,516 local companies incorporated, thus creating the need to update the archaic Companies Act.

“Our Companies Act which was enacted in 1990, crafted in 1991 but came into force in 1995, 30 years ago, can’t govern or regulate the commercial Guyana of 2026. In 1995 commercial Guyana was a radically different place,” the AG explained.

“As a result, we are doing a complete overhaul of our Companies Act and a consultant has it and we will begin consultations with the private sector and all important stakeholders.”

Laws are also coming for a number of new areas that are being built out in Guyana’s economy.

“We are working with Jamaica, with UAE and with other countries in crafting a modern, robust, transparent, accountable and responsible framework for the operation of a junior and senior stock market in Guyana,” Nandlall noted.

He said the government is also working with its international partners in developing modern port laws.

“Guyana is transforming and we have the legislative framework, the regulatory framework that will create the cradle from which all these industries are going to be conceived, born, weaned and flourish,” Nandlall said.