The Guyana government is set to table the much-anticipated Oil Pollution, Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Responsibility Bill 2025—commonly referred to as the “Oil Spill Bill”—in the National Assembly on Monday.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, announced the move during his weekly programme Issues in the News, highlighting the bill’s goal of establishing a modern, comprehensive framework to prevent oil spills, strengthen national preparedness, ensure swift response efforts, and hold those responsible for damages fully accountable.
With Guyana’s rapidly expanding oil and gas industry, the government says the country needs strong laws to safeguard the environment and enforce strict safety standards across the petroleum sector.
According to Nandlall, the new legislation “ensures that every person and/or entity involved in any petroleum activities, including drilling, exploring, producing, storing, handling, transportation of petroleum products, oil and gas, et cetera, shall be held to the highest standards of operational safety and environmental responsibility.”
Importantly, the bill also empowers ordinary citizens and communities to seek legal redress in the High Court if their property, livelihoods, or local environments are harmed due to oil spills or negligent petroleum operations.
Crafted to align with international best practices, the bill reflects the complexity and care required in regulating a critical sector of the economy. “You will recall that it took quite a while in preparation and that’s because of its complex nature and because of the care that had to be exercised when treating with this bill. Once the bill is laid in the National Assembly…it would be circulated widely,” Nandlall explained.
The Oil Spill Bill forms part of a broader legislative push by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration to modernise Guyana’s legal framework. Since taking office in 2020, the government has introduced or updated several key laws tied to petroleum activities, including the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act, the Petroleum Activities Bill, and the Local Content Act.
Several other bills are also expected to be tabled next week as the administration presses ahead with its legislative agenda.
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