The French are coming

Jun 07, 2026 Editorial, News

Editorial…

(Kaieteur News) – The French have been patient, content to bide their time. Now they have made their intentions clear: 20 French companies interested in planting stakes in Guyana. Oil partnerships and oil investments, as well as taking advantage of the local infrastructure boom. We need investment, and the French are coming, salivating at the opportunities waiting in the local market.

When France setup an Embassy here in 2025, that was the first indication of what was to come. The political environment is easy, the regulatory environment made simple and trouble-free for foreign investors. Guyana has a watchdog Environmental Protection Agency that is as good as unconscious. Guyana’s leadership is so ecstatic when potential investment is heard that there is readiness to continue the giveaway of the wealth of the people.

The Americans took the early lead in grabbing their share. ExxonMobil, Hess Corporation, and the latter’s more recent successor, Chevron. They are in good company with American Airlines, Schlumberger, and LindsayCa-CH4, to name a few others. The British have James Fisher and Sons, PLC, Tullow Oil was here, and others have visited, are still weighing their options. The Canadians have established a formidable presence in the mining sector of Guyana. From Europe, there have been Repsol of Spain, Total Energies of France, with a Qatari and a Malaysian company all involved before and now in Guyana’s ballooning oil sector. Now the French want a bigger investment and corporate footprint.

The environment could not have been riper. Guyana is more than open for business. Guyana has a big ‘For Sale’ sign hanging over its head. Under the APNU+AFC Coalition government, the oil and gas were given away for the equivalent of a handful of crumbs. Under the PPPC Government, the giveaways have been of monumental proportions. The old ExxonMobil oil contract enjoys total immunity, with PPPC Government’s opting for the betrayal of sanctity of contract. Gold companies come to Guyana and invest some seed capital, then promptly flip huge sections of prime gold lands to others for billions of Guyana dollars. Unlike the ExxonMobil oil contract, the terms and conditions of the gold contracts, especially what Guyana is getting for its hospitality to foreign investors, are a closely held secret by the government. We at this paper would not be surprised if the money aspects of those gold contracts are a continuation of the cheap deals worked out over the years under different governments.

Why would the French not want to come to Guyana in their numbers, and grab as much as they can, thanks to a spineless government? It amazes that the French Ambassador took so long to ring his bell announcing that a score of companies from his country are preparing to come here in their numbers. The PPP/C Government is sure to climb on a pedestal and make fools of citizens. There will be the usual boasting. About foreign investments pouring into Guyana. About the jobs generated. About French contributions to Local Content. About the training and capacity building benefits. And about the miscellaneous community and infrastructure works that are part of the contracts negotiated.

We are not optimistic, as we have seen and heard all of this before. It seems that almost the whole global alphabet has rushed here and put down stakes. From Americans to Chinese to British and Canadians fastened in between those two investment superpowers, with many others continuing along the alphabet. That usually happens when cheap deals are the standing order of business. The PPP/C Government is only too happy to put up for sale the many rich patrimonies of Guyanese for pittances. Frankly, the French have been slower than its predecessors. But now planning their moves, readying to pounce. One has to be numb to what is happening here, not to expect the French creating some space for itself on the Guyana investment bandwagon.

When respect for territorial sovereignty was heard from the French and one of its warships made an official call here last year, it was just a matter of time before France’s investment warriors prepped to get their piece of Guyana. What has Guyana received from these investment relationships? Fair, transparent, contracts that benefit Guyanese represent the sum of our priorities.

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Editorial, ExxonMobil, French, Hess Corporation, Lindsayca-CH4

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