The Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI) is stressing the importance of safety after an incident that saw a woman entering an active construction site at Reynstein, West Bank Demerara.
The woman, Elizabeth Deane Hughes, wrote a letter to local media stating that she was accosted by three men wearing hard hats when she visited the Gas-to-Energy civil works’ landing site on Saturday, March 4. Hughes accused the men of acting in an “intimidating manner” toward her, before she made away with photos she took of the ongoing works. Hughes said she made a report to the nearest police station.
GYSBI’s Public Relations Manager, Gomatie Gangadin noted in response that members of GYSBI staff approached Hughes to explain the dangers of being at the site without required personal protection equipment (PPE), and that there was no physical altercation.
“Any active construction zone requires access controls,” Gangadin said. “An unannounced, unprepared visitor creates danger for themself as well as workers at the site. Ms. Hughes drove onto the site in excess of the location’s speed limits before abruptly parking at the truck-turning location. By doing so, she placed herself in immediate danger and endangered our truck drivers and equipment operators who could have been startled by her sudden presence and her excitable movements around the site.”
The GYSBI official said safety is of paramount importance, and that its employees are trained to execute their work in an uncompromising manner to return them safely to their families everyday. She said too that GYSBI remains open to persons who wish to learn more about its projects and operations, in a safe and engaged way.
Preparatory works are ongoing on the West Bank of Demerara, in anticipation of the Gas-to-Energy project. Gas-to-Energy is a joint project between the Guyana government and the Stabroek Block co-venturers, with the principle objective of delivering cheaper, low-emissions power to the Guyanese public. The project is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2024.
