Wales GtE: tragedy or comedy

Feb 23, 2026 Editorial

Kaieteur News – The Wales Gas-to-Energy (GtE) could do so much for Guyanese. Be easier on the pockets, enhance their confidence, help them to trust leaders. Trust based on decisions make, promises given, and dates kept. For US$2 billion, probably more, citizens are entitled to some consideration, the respect owed to those who foot that bill in one way or another. They have had none of that, other than brief, by-the-way, updates that very casually inform the nation of new issues.

The GtE has been a tragedy: time lost, millions wasted and sure to be contested sharply. LINDSAYCA’s soil stabilisation exercise swallowed 14 unbudgeted months, and a cost of US$100M. A delayed, but rare, instance of transparency, with silence broken momentarily for the bad news to be shared. But what about accountability for that US$100M that has to be paid by somebody. LINDSAYCA will fight to the bitter end, so that charge is not marked against its name. Delays and millions, and all that Guyanese have for this US$2B secret enterprise is the occasional, can’t-help trickle of news, and abuse for those bold enough to ask what’s happening.

What’s actually going on with this project that floats somewhere between patchwork and guesswork? The one winner so far is Exxon which is owed US$1B for its completed pipeline. Like everything it touches in Guyana, or decides that there is money to make, it gets the PPPC Government to tag along with head nodding in complete agreement, as though it is some ventriloquist’s gadget. Foreigners flocking to the annual Guyana Energy Conferences are updated first, with Guyanese knowing afterwards.

The latest is of 68% completion, 228MW of new energy when launched and not 300MW (as long touted), and now with 2027 (not late 2026) entering this US$2B mystery. The first due date was December 2024, then late in 2026, but now 2027 is the new news. The final cost is still unknown, but we at this paper take this position: it will be more than US$2B.

Guyanese were promised cheap and reliable supply of electricity, two years ago, now extended to three. A wonderful development if it actually happens. When will that day be, after the delays that have plagued this project wrapped in secrecy and zero accountability to Guyanese?

Every concerned Guyanese taxpayer needs to stop, look, and listen. They have been promised the stars with the Wales GtE project. They are still waiting for a touch of stardust to light up their lives with some consistency. What started out as the fevered brainchild of a man, who has since dropped out of sight, now lurches along to some uncertain conclusion. Winston Brassington, given the heavy job of Project Consultant, gives a fair account of himself. But there is not much more that he can do, other than being the messenger with more bad news, another delay. The last piece of news that he shared was as disappointing as those that came before. The Wales GtE is not expected to deliver its full load of 300MW until 2027, with outsider being among the first to know. When in 2027, if in that year, is another puzzle.

For US$2BM, Guyanese are due more frankness from their leaders. President Irfaan Ali, who can be so energetic when the occasion is favourable, has been mostly withdrawn amid the hang-ups surrounding this US$2B project. Though still youthful, he now limps along like a dodderer twice his age, when Guyanese want to know the fullest details behind this project, and its steady holdups. We believe that there is much more than the government and its people are telling citizens.

We would support this project, once it proves true to its promises, with conditions attached to our support. Citizens must be informed, progress reports shared, and negatives disclosed. When the opposite dominates, then differences are bound to occur, with separation following. The Wales GtE project had to be transparent from the inception, with the public, the promised beneficiaries, informed of its bases, issues. None of this happened, with Guyanese insulted. To report one delay, then others, then a partial delivery of the 300MW of energy raises questions about how much the PPPC Government knows about what it has taken on.

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14 unbudgeted months, Guyana Energy Conferences, LINDSAYCA’s, Wales Gas-to-Energy, Wales GtE

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