GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – 6/26/18:
Ferry boats in Stabroek Market wait to carry commuters across the Demerara River at rush hour. Because there is only one bridge communicating both sides and it is extremely outdated water taxis are a common mode of transport.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – 6/27/18:
Dawn Layne runs a sports clothing fabrication shop out of her mother in-laws home in East La Penitence. She is attending workshops at Center for Local Business Development which is a program financed by ExxonMobil.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – 6/27/18:
Boys play soccer on a muddy pitch in East La Penitence in Georgetown, Guyana.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – 6/27/18:
Evening sets on Le Repentir Cemetery in Georgetown Guyana.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
HARLEM, GUYANA – 6/28/18:
A. Hakh & Son rice mill in Harlem, Guyana. Rice fields on the coast west of the Demerara River, near Vreed en Hoop. Rice is a mayor export for Guyana and until recently it was exported in exchange for fuel with its neighbor Venezuela. In two years oil production is slated to start but with no refineries planned on Guyanese soil gas prices will likely remain the same.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Rumzeight Village, GUYANA – 6/28/18:
Gam (L) and Mohan (R) finish their shift in a rice field near Rumzeight village in Guyana. Rice is a mayor export for Guyana and until recently it was exported in exchange for fuel with its neighbor Venezuela. In two years oil production is slated to start but with no refineries planned on Guyanese soil gas prices will likely remain the same.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Parika, GUYANA – 6/28/18:
A pineapple crest left on a dock plank in Parika. Parika is the mayor port town at the mouth of the Essequibo River. It has been talked about as a possible site for more on shore oil bases.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Leonora, GUYANA – 6/28/18:
Sugar workers prepare the sugar refinery for the upcoming second crop of the year at the Leonora- Uitvlught Sugar Estate. Sugar, once a mayor export, has declined in recent years in Guyana.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Clonbrook, GUYANA – 6/29/18:
Fishermen make their way on land in a fishing community near Clonbrook, Guyama.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Guyana Maritime Territory – 6/30/18:
The Bob Douglas drill ship operated by Noble Energy for Exxon Mobile floats 120 miles offshore of Guyana. It is drilling what will become the first production oil well in Guyana’s history.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Guyana Maritime Territory – 6/30/18:
The Bob Douglas drill ship operated by Noble Energy for Exxon Mobile floats 120 miles offshore of Guyana. It is drilling what will become the first production oil well in Guyana’s history. Here the actual drill shaft driving the bit thousands of feet below the ocean floor. The bit advances at about one-hundred feet an hour under good geological conditions.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Guyana Maritime Territory – 6/30/18:
The Bob Douglas drill ship operated by Noble Energy for Exxon Mobile floats 120 miles offshore of Guyana. It is drilling what will become the first production oil well in Guyana’s history. Here the drill control pod with technicians driving the bit thousands of feet below the ocean floor. The bit advances at about one-hundred feet an hour under good geological conditions.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Guyana Maritime Territory – 6/30/18:
The Bob Douglas drill ship operated by Noble Energy for Exxon Mobile floats 120 miles offshore of Guyana. It is drilling what will become the first production oil well in Guyana’s history. Here Captain Elmo Cerise.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Georgetown, Guyana – 7/01/18:
An aerial view of Georgetown, Guyana.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Essequibo River, Guyana – 07/01/18:
An aerial view of the Essequibo River Delta. It is the largest river in Guyana and the largest between the Orinoco and Amazon.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Shell Beach, Guyana – 07/01/18:
Shell Beach is one of the most western points in Guyana just shy of the Venezuelan Border. It is known for the endangered species of turtles that nest there. Despite rapid advances in drilling and oil exploration Guyana does not have a oil spill disaster protocol in place. The spill potential, although small, paired with seismic effects on the sea-life could have an impact on already endangered species.
Shell beach and its neighboring Almond Beach are home to a dwindling indigenous community. Living mostly off fishing and farming the native community of this beach has faced the diminishing coast line due to tidal activity. Here Randal John, a native fisherman who has been fishing this beach with his brother for over 30 years.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Shell Beach, Guyana – 07/01/18:
Shell Beach is one of the most western points in Guyana just shy of the Venezuelan Border. It is known for the endangered species of turtles that nest there. Despite rapid advances in drilling and oil exploration Guyana does not have a oil spill disaster protocol in place. The spill potential, although small, paired with seismic effects on the sea-life could have an impact on already endangered species.
Shell beach and its neighboring Almond Beach are home to a dwindling indigenous community. Living mostly off fishing and farming the native community of this beach has faced the diminishing coast line due to tidal activity. Here Randal John, a native fisherman who has been fishing this beach with his brother for over 30 years. Here Mr. John’s catch salted and laid out to dry.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Shell Beach, Guyana – 07/01/18:
Shell Beach is one of the most western points in Guyana just shy of the Venezuelan Border. It is known for the endangered species of turtles that nest there. Despite rapid advances in drilling and oil exploration Guyana does not have a oil spill disaster protocol in place. The spill potential, although small, paired with seismic effects on the sea-life could have an impact on already endangered species.
Shell beach and its neighboring Almond Beach are home to a dwindling indigenous community. Living mostly off fishing and farming the native community of this beach has faced the diminishing coast line due to tidal activity. Here left to right sisters Adina, Verna and Vianne France on Shell Beach.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Smith Creek, Guyana – 07/01/18:
Here xx, the cheif and pastor of the indigenous Warao community of Smith Creek. This community in westernmost Guyana lives primarily off fishing and farming.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Smith Creek, Guyana – 07/01/18:
Here the indigenous Warao community of Smith Creek. This community in westernmost Guyana lives primarily off fishing and farming.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Smith Creek, Guyana – 07/01/18:
Here left to right Winston Cyriaco and Leslie Bowrin in the indigenous Warao community of Smith Creek. This community in westernmost Guyana lives primarily off fishing and farming.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
Georgetown, Guyana – 07/02/18:
The sun sets on Georgetown Guyana.
CREDIT: Christopher Gregory for The New York Times
"Guiana is a country that hath yet her maidenhead, never sacked, turned, nor wrought; (…) The graves have not been opened for gold, the mines not broken (…) It hath never been entered by any army of strength, and never conquered or possessed by any Christian prince." -Sir Walter Raleigh, The Discover of Guiana
Since 1594, when British colonizer Sir Walter Raleigh wrote this on his search for the golden city of El Dorado, many have sacked the area now encompassed by modern day Guyana. Boxite, Gold and diamonds are just some of the resources extracted in Guyana by foreign entities. It is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere but that soon may change. In 2020 one of the largest discoveries of oil will begin production just off the shore of Guyana. The Exxon Mobile project is estimated to generate $20 billion dollars annually for a country of less than a million people. But if history is a guide corruption and exploitation will benefit the political elite leaving the average Guyanese very much in the same position.
