More clarity needed as gas to energy project proceeds 

Dear Editor,
The gas to energy project is one of the most exciting parts of oil development for many like myself in the business community that have long complained that expensive and unreliable electricity has held Guyana back. The concept of cheaper, cleaner, and more available energy is an enticing one.
But the Government can and must do more to show how this project will be completed. There is an understandable public frustration with the lack of answers. The public has real questions and the Administration must provide more answers.
Thankfully the Government is starting to provide us with the opportunity to ask questions about the ongoing project development. The scoping meetings, which have been set up in a number of towns, even in more rural locations, have been helpful to address some of our concerns, and show the Government’s willingness to be open.
So much of the lack of information stems from the fact that we are still in the initial stages of the project despite such wide coverage. Reading headlines, it sometimes seems as if steel is going into the ground each day when in fact the project is still in an early “assessment” phase.
Many of the biggest concerns about things like cost aren’t things that can be known without committing real investment to hire engineers and consultants to evaluate the prospect. But that would be premature and even illegal if Government funds were spent on that before an environmental impact assessment or community meetings were done.
More clarity from the Government about that process and the careful, measured pace it must proceed at would go a long way towards soothing the community’s concerns.

Sincerely,
Donald Singh