The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government is facing growing criticism over its failure to resolve Guyana’s energy crisis, with daily blackouts becoming a routine inconvenience for citizens. The situation took a particularly embarrassing turn during the budget debate in Parliament on Wednesday night, when the capital was plunged into complete darkness—a stark symbol of the government’s ongoing failure to address the country’s power woes.
David Patterson, the former Minister of Public Infrastructure and current chairman of the Alliance for Change (AFC), has been vocal in his criticism of the PPP’s handling of the energy sector. In a statement last month, Patterson pointed out that the PPP had “not taken the time to properly understand the energy infrastructure needs of the country,” a claim that has been vindicated as blackouts continue to plague the nation.
Patterson warned that the government’s incompetence would carry over into 2025 and beyond, leaving the people of Guyana to suffer from what he described as the PPP’s “failure to act”.
The current administration’s promises of energy reform now ring hollow, with Prime Minister Mark Phillips having famously declared in 2020 that blackouts would be “a thing of the past” by diversifying the energy sector. However, nearly five years later, not only are blackouts still commonplace, but the situation has worsened. Despite Guyana’s booming oil production—approaching 616,000 barrels per day—the government has failed to translate this newfound wealth into sustainable energy solutions for its people.
The PPP’s most recent attempt to address the electricity crisis—bringing in two foreign power ships, one from Cuba and another from Türkiye—has drawn sharp criticism from Patterson. Speaking on the matter, Patterson described the move as a “disastrous decision,” arguing that the government’s reliance on quick fixes like these power ships had only led to more problems.
“After bringing in the power ships, they declared that the era of blackouts was over. Yet here we are, in 2025, with blackouts happening every single day. The fact that we are still experiencing regular power outages shows that the government has not studied the problem carefully. They have failed to do their homework, and instead, they’ve just thrown money at these half-hearted solutions,” Patterson said, pointing to the ongoing issues as evidence of the government’s lack of foresight and inadequate planning.
Patterson’s sharp critique highlights a significant contrast between his tenure as Minister of Public Infrastructure, when Guyana experienced fewer power outages, and the current government’s disastrous approach. Under his leadership, the country saw better management of both the electricity and drainage systems. Now, under the PPP’s watch, power outages have become a daily reality, and the government’s inability to manage the sector is leaving the people of Guyana in the dark.
Patterson has also raised serious concerns over the financial waste involved in the government’s energy strategy. In November 2024, he accused the PPP of wasting US$426 million over the next two years on the rental of the two power ships. In stark contrast, Patterson pointed under his ministerial leadership in the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), they purchased 46 megawatts of new generation capacity for just US$40 million in 2019—far more cost-effective than the ongoing rental deal for foreign ships.
Instead of wasting nearly half a billion dollars on renting these ships, we could have purchased 180 megawatts of new, state-of-the-art generators for the same price Patterson said. His calculations revealed that the daily cost of renting both power ships amounts to GY$49 million, with additional fuel costs and fuel transportation fees adding billions to the burden on Guyanese taxpayers.
Patterson warned the reckless spending is draining the national treasury and continuing the cycle of power outages. He advised had the government properly planned, invested in new generators, and focused on sustainable solutions, Guyana could have avoided the electricity criss. The parliamentarian also highlighted Guyana is now paying GY$94 billion over two years just to keep these power ships operating.
As billions of dollars are funneled into these temporary fixes, Patterson argues that the government has failed to offer any real solutions for Guyana’s energy future. The PPP’s approach, he says, is all about “fluff and bluff”—making flashy announcements without any substantial action behind them. The result is a power sector that is left in disarray, with the people of Guyana footing the bill for the government’s lack of vision.
The ongoing blackouts and financial mismanagement have led many to question whether the PPP has any coherent strategy for the energy sector. With no clear end in sight to the power crisis, Guyana continues to struggle under the weight of what Patterson calls the government’s “disastrous” handling of the nation’s electricity needs.
The future of Guyana’s energy sector remains uncertain. Despite being the world’s fastest-growing economy and billions being poured into the electricity sector there’s no end in sight to the ongoing power outages.
