Stalked, setup, victimised

Jun 26, 2026 Editorial, News

Editorial…

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana has become the world’s punching bag. Many come rosy-eyed with expectations. They reap a rich harvest. There is a government that is either unconscious or close to it. Perhaps, the PPP/C Government is part of the schemes that hit this oil rich country hard. Oil rich is an invitation that few can resist. That label invites all so inclined to take advantage of conditions in Guyana. The conditions encourage insiders and outsiders to slip in another sharp jab on a country now too frightened to do anything to save its own skin, even protect its wealth. Those who are skilled at operating in these types of environments have a greenlight to help themselves, to make merry off the backs of Guyanese.

Guyana’s partner to complete the US$2B Wales Gas-to-Energy project, Lindsayca-CH4, was recently successful in extracting US$97M plus legal costs, because Guyana did not conduct its own credible feasibility study. The soil where the two remaining plants are to be erected was too soft, leading to lengthy delays, and that US$99M total. This newspaper tried and tried to get a statement, a commitment, from the PPP/C Government’s leading oil and gas spokesperson on a credible feasibility study done, or being done, and got nowhere. Lindsayca-CH4 got its US$99M, and its own documents indicate that it would need, possibly be approaching the government, for another US$250M to complete the gas conversion plant and the power generation facility. Now, Guyana is only seen as a punching bag that cannot be resisted, one that invites fresh punches. Guyana is also seen as a milking cow whose udders are so full that it would be a crime not to squeeze them to extract more of their richness. It seems that ExxonMobil, another Guyana partner, one that insists it always has Guyana’s interests in mind, has been also positioning itself for more from Guyana.

The underwater gas pipeline connecting to the Wales project site from 220 kilometers offshore has been laid for close to two years. During that span, almost two years, the best that citizens can get from both ExxonMobil and the PPP/C Government is an “average” price for the pipeline. An “average” price of US$1B gives a first clue of how Guyana is being stalked and setup to be victimised. It amazing that a company such as ExxonMobil, with over a hundred years of experience in the oil and gas industry all over the world, sees it fit to shelter under a weak, lame, word as “average.” This could be how Guyana is being setup, prepared, for the kill. Since “average” is the best that ExxonMobil can do almost two years after the pipeline has been laid, US$1B as the final cost looks remote. One thing is almost certain: it is not going to be less than US$1B. To put the near certainty of a guarantee that the final cost could be more than US$1B, we urge readers to note how the PPP/C Government has taken comfort in silence.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharat, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, and former Wales GTE Taskforce Head, now Project Consultant, Winston Brassington, have all locked their jaws, with not a word escaping. The biggest land-based project ever undertaken by this country, and three senior officials of the PPP/C Government cannot find their voices. It is this same government, with President Irfaan Ali in the lead, that sells itself as a champion of transparency.

Only recently, the government went to parliament to ask for another $54.89B in supplementary funds. Parliament could not be in session for more than 100 days, but among its first order of business is consideration of $54.89B to enhance ongoing works at the Wales GTE, the Ministries of Housing, Agriculture, and Utilities and Aviation. We question if the reconvening of parliament would have been delayed longer, if the government did not need to raid the treasury. This country’s biggest budget ever, $1.558T was approved on February 14, and here is a PPP/C Government that is so shameless that it is back again in early June to ask for more billions. One more example of how Guyanese are stalked, setup, and victimised, on this occasion by the people they put in power.

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Editorial, oil rich country, setup, Stalked, victimised

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