GEORGETOWN, Guyana – President Irfaan Ali has outlined an expansive infrastructure and energy development plan that he says will reshape Guyana’s economy, cut energy costs, and create opportunities in housing, agriculture, and industry.
Speaking at a public engagement, Ali detailed a series of projects tied to the government’s broader strategy of using oil revenues to diversify the economy and strengthen long-term resilience.
Energy and Industrial Expansion
Central to the plan is the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and the construction of two 300-megawatt power plants. Ali said these will feed a modern energy grid capable of slashing electricity costs by 50 percent while improving reliability and reducing blackouts.
The infrastructure will also support a fertilizer plant, aimed at lowering input costs for farmers, boosting productivity, and expanding export markets. Linked to this will be new agro-processing facilities, a small data center, and industrial hubs that will extend opportunities beyond the oil and gas sector.
Ali highlighted that investments in a deepwater port and the development of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will further position Guyana as a hub for regional trade and industrial activity. These projects, he said, are expected to open pathways for value-added industries in bauxite and to accommodate two new large-scale mining ventures.
National Connectivity and Housing
The president emphasized that a network of new bridges and roads will physically connect Guyana’s regions and unlock new lands for development. Among the projects listed were the Kurupukari bridge, Demerara River bridge, Puruni bridge, Itaballi bridge, and the Quarantine River bridge, along with the long-discussed New Berbice River bridge.
A four-lane highway is also planned to stretch from the East Coast Demerara to Moleson Creek, improving access to Region Six and supporting the industrial expansion at Palmyra and Moleson Creek.
Ali stressed that the opening of new areas is critical for addressing Guyana’s housing demand. He took a swipe at the former APNU+AFC administration, noting that while they promised to deliver house lots, they failed to develop new land between 2015 and 2020.
“We are already on wetlands along the coast, so we must expand into new areas for housing and farming,” he said, pointing to industrial hubs in Berbice that will support 40,000 new homes alongside new economic activity.
Agriculture and Diversification
Guyana’s agricultural base will also be strengthened, Ali said, through investments in agro-processing, fertilizer production, and land expansion. He argued that cheaper energy and new infrastructure will make local production more competitive while giving farmers the scale to meet regional demand.
This focus aligns with the administration’s broader vision of positioning Guyana as the “food basket of the Caribbean”, a theme Ali has championed in regional forums.
Long-Term Vision
Ali framed the infrastructure plan as the “backbone” of Guyana’s future economic security, linking energy, housing, transport, and agriculture. He stressed that the investments will ripple through the wider economy, stimulating private sector growth and job creation.
“This is just touching the surface,” Ali told the gathering. “Billions of dollars will be spent on creating the smart grid, on housing, on new industries. The transformation we are talking about is already underway, and it will expand opportunities for every Guyanese.”
The president’s remarks come as Guyana prepares for a surge in oil revenues from the Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil and partners have ramped up production. His government has faced calls to ensure that the windfall is used to build long-term resilience and avoid the pitfalls of overdependence on petroleum.
