 bulk of gov t grant expended on university of guyana oil and gas programme bulk of gov t grant expended on university of guyana oil and gas programme bulk of gov t grant expended on university of guyana oil and gas programme webmaster fri 6152018 2055 a significant portion of the 100 m grant which the university of guyana secured last year as part of government s effort to help the institution establish an oil and gas programme has been expended last year the ministry of natural resources the geology and mines commission ggmc and the university of guyana ug signed a memorandum of understanding mou for a 100 million philanthropic education grant for the period 20172018 the grant provided the university of guyana s faculty of technology with muchneeded equipment for its geology labs curriculum development training outreach and field research all linked to the emerging oil and gas sector it also provided specific allocations for all other faculties for studentcentered enhancements at the university speaking about the programme vice chancellor of ug professor ivelaw griffith explained that this is one of the university s most significant grants with the ggmc griffith said that it is an investment by the government in the institution in an area critical to the nation s economy he said that the project is a result of ug longstanding relationship with ggmc he highlighted the fact that many of the commission s staff through scholarships has received their higher education at the institution to date 87 of the finances have been pumped into realising ug s oil and gas programme some 55m was used for equipment and supplies to the faculty of technology s laboratories pursued by the ggmc some 10 m was expended on training some 16m was for infrastructural projects through ug when natural resources minister raphael trotman handed over the first tranche of the funds 45m to the vice chancellor last year he noted the government views the initiative as an investment in education and development the minister noted that the project is significant since it represents a renewed and enhanced relationship with the ministry and ggmc with the university of guyana even as the oil and gas sector develops additionally trotman said that similar efforts are also needed in the gold and diamond mining sectors as they will not be neglected in the period post2020 when oil production begins article adapted from  http wwwpetroleumworldcom story18061402htm oil gas vicechancellor 