August 29, 2025
The stakes are high for the upcoming Guyana elections this September 1. The new found oil resources are a top priority and who is afforded the opportunity to manage it on behalf of the Guyanese people will have a heavy burden if they win.
But oil is one problem. There are also issues with the Maduro regime next door in Venezuela that they will have to manage. Maduro is a thorn that will not be ignored. This is not to say that he will chance to take the Essequibo river by force, but it does mean that he will be an annoying presence to oil drilling companies and personnel for the foreseeable future.
Let us also not forget that Guyana, much like the rest of the Caribbean, has a crime problem. Although murders are receding, there is still a blemish of blight and poverty with some areas that need to be addressed.
Then the next government has to deal with the poverty in Guyana. Yes, the oil revenues helps a lot, but there also needs to be a concentrated effort to bring younger people up into the process through opportunities and education.
The stakes are high. We pick no sides, but we hope that the best team wins on September 1.