MOST days, Ron Thomas takes the five-minute drive or the ten-minute walk to work. Born and raised in the community of Free and Easy, Ron has witnessed the evolution of the village he has always called home.
At 30 years old, this driver by profession is among the many men and women who are part of the most recent significant shift in the community: the burgeoning oil and gas industry that’s reshaping Guyana’s economic landscape.

As a new father, Ron believes few places in Guyana are as comfortable, welcoming, and captivating as Free and Easy. With a hint of pride in his voice, he shared, “They used to say that Free and Easy was behind God’s back, but I don’t think they could say that anymore.”
Ron describes himself as ‘Free-and-Easy born-and-bred’, though he acknowledges that his family moved to the village when he was five. He characterises his childhood as quiet, painting a picture of an idyllic rural upbringing. “I was born and raised here. When I was five, we came to Free and Easy,” Ron recalls, his eyes distant with nostalgia. “It was a real countryside upbringing. We spent our days under the sun, climbing trees, and exploring the area. The community really added value to my childhood.”

Like many of the village’s residents, Ron’s schooling was close to home. He attended school in the neighbouring village of Patentia before advancing to pursue higher education. “After primary school in Patentia, I went on to TI,” Ron explains.
Today, Free and Easy bears little resemblance to the quiet farming village of Ron’s youth. The community now buzzes with activity, resembling a mining town more than a rural settlement. Various vehicles traverse the roads throughout the day, starkly contrasting Ron’s school days when transportation was a luxury.

“Now we have trucks and all kinds of things on the roads. We didn’t have that when I was going to school. Without transportation, you had to walk. It was challenging, but after a time, you just got accustomed to it…But now, transportation is easier because you can actually see the road. Especially when it’s dry, though it can get really dusty. But apart from that, getting around is much easier now.”
The introduction of oil and gas exploration in Guyana has been at the forefront of many people’s minds, and Free and Easy is no exception. The discovery of significant offshore oil reserves by ExxonMobil in 2015 has triggered a wave of change that’s rippling through communities like Free and Easy. According to Ron, while the people generally welcome the investment in their community, they are still grappling with the massive changes.

Discussing the impact of this development on Free and Easy, Ron acknowledges the project’s positive aspects as well as the newfound challenges. “The project is a very good thing overall. But the heavy-duty vehicles that pass through the community cause a lot of noise, and we’re not really used to that. It’s been quite an adjustment,” he shared.
Very few villages have seen the scale of change that Free and Easy is currently experiencing. The transformation from a quiet, easy-going farming village to a community at the forefront of a massive industrial project has been a significant shift for the residents.

“The trucks work through the night. And that, of course, causes a lot of noise. I work night shifts too, so I understand the necessity, but it’s still a big change for the village. It’s good for us overall, but it takes some getting used to.” Ron stated,
Despite these issues, Ron recognises the benefits the increased economic activity has brought to the community. Infrastructure improvements have been one of the most visible changes. “They’ve done work on the road,” he says. “It was worse than this before. They’ve improved it significantly. But yeah, it’s still the trucks that are the main issue. I think if they could implement some speed limiters or something similar, it would help a lot.”

As a new father, Ron welcomes the influx of new opportunities for himself and the community at large. As he stated, “I’ve been working with them for over a year now,” Ron shared. The convenience of his job is not lost on Ron. “It’s contributed positively because it’s so close by,” he explains. “I don’t have to travel far at all. It’s like a 10-minute drive or a short walk away. It’s a really good job, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Ron also notes the broader impact on the community beyond just employment opportunities. “Since the project started, and they improved the road, the value of land in the area has increased significantly,” he said. This increased interest in the once-overlooked village is striking, as Ron stated, “They used to call this place ‘behind God’s back,’ but I don’t know what they’re calling it now.”