Dear Editor,
In October 2020, an Order was issued by the High Court of Guyana to slash the term of ExxonMobil’s Liza-I environmental permit down to five years from 20; the amended Liza-1 permit is now expired (May 31, 2022) and the Liza Two permit expires on April 25, 2024. How then can gas from these fields be guaranteed for the Gas-to-Energy Project under development in Wales?
The only answer is that gas from these fields can only be guaranteed for the life of the permit; any investment in the hope that permits will be extended is a risk no financial institution would/should take.
There is no doubt that Gas-to-Energy will transform Guyana, cheaper electricity is an engine of development that requires little explanation, the question is how do we reconcile our development needs with our existing laws? There are two answers; shelve development and live in complete harmony with nature as desired by the environmentalists in our midst, or update the laws to suit the needs of the people. I offer this bit of advice to the government, it is in the Guyanese character to see appeasement as a sign of weakness and it makes the aggressor more aggressive; act quickly and decisively or watch the court calendar become clogged by the environmental crusaders.
Sincerely,
Robin Singh
