THE Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), through the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Task Force, on Tuesday, facilitated a field visit for University of Guyana engineering students to the Gas-to-Energy Project site at Wales, West Bank Demerara, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen industry exposure and technical training for future professionals.
A delegation of 70 students from the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology participated in the tour, accompanied by senior academic staff and project officials. The visit provided participants with firsthand exposure to large-scale infrastructural development linked to Guyana’s expanding energy and industrial transformation agenda.
Head of the Gas-to-Energy Task Force, Winston Brassington, briefed the group on the project’s current progress, scope of works, and its strategic importance to national development, particularly in advancing energy reliability and industrial growth.
Among the accompanying faculty were Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Presidential Adviser on Tertiary Education Reform, Kofi Dalrymple; Assistant Dean and Architecture Lecturer, Shion Norton; Lecturer Anirude Khelawan; and electrical engineering specialist and Head of the Petroleum & Geological Engineering Department, Ms. Verlyn Klass.
During the visit, Dr Dalrymple underscored the importance of exposing students to major national projects, noting that such experiences bridge classroom learning with real-world engineering practice. He described the initiative as transformative, highlighting its role in demonstrating world-class engineering applications within Guyana.
“This is a transformational project that promises to revolutionise the industrial sectors of Guyana,” he said. “What students saw here today was inspiring and brings world-class engineering right here to Guyana, giving them opportunities never before available in the country.”
Project Manager of Lindsayca, Luis Pirela, also addressed the delegation, emphasising the project’s broader national and regional significance and the opportunities it presents for emerging engineers.
“Guyana is one of the hottest places in the world right now when it comes to development, and this project will make a huge impact on the country and the wider region,” he said. “Many of the world’s top engineering firms and manufacturers are here.”
Students were taken through various components of the project, including civil infrastructure works, energy systems integration, construction operations, and industrial engineering applications within a rapidly evolving development landscape. Throughout the tour, they engaged technical staff with questions on engineering systems, construction methodologies, and future expansion plans, with project representatives providing detailed explanations and insights into potential career pathways.
Also present was Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Bobby Gossai Jr., who joined officials in observing the engagement between students and project engineers.
The Faculty of Engineering and Technology noted that the visit forms part of its broader strategy to strengthen industry linkages, enhance experiential learning, and better prepare graduates to contribute to Guyana’s growing infrastructure and energy sectors.
