Lindsayca/LND Chairman delivers keynote at the International Business Conference 2025
A Vision Anchored in Engineering and Integrity
The 2025 International Business Conference (IBC) at the Guyana Marriott Hotel closed on a high note yesterday as Mr. Nelson Drake, Chairman of Lindsayca / LND Guyana, delivered one of the most anticipated keynote addresses of the event.
Before an audience of diplomats, investors, government officials, and industry leaders, Drake presented a detailed, transparent assessment of Guyana’s fast-evolving energy landscape and his company’s pivotal role within it.
“We are in a time when expectation is high and patience is short,” Drake began. “Our responsibility is to transform that energy figuratively and literally into enduring national value.”
Ground Truths: Engineering the Wales Gas-to-Energy Project
Drake’s remarks centered on the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project, one of the largest infrastructure efforts in the Caribbean.
He disclosed that extensive ground-stabilization works critical to securing the facility’s foundation had cost over US $100 million and extended the timeline by 14 months.
“The soil beneath us is alive it moves, it breathes,” he said. “We’ve invested in precision monitoring systems and deep consolidation work because the turbines we will install cannot tolerate even the smallest shift.”
He noted that embedded sensors now measure temperature and pressure during concrete pours, guaranteeing structural integrity for decades to come.
Numbers That Tell the Story
In a detailed progress update, Drake shared that:
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Engineering is 89 percent complete
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Procurement stands at 90.46 percent
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Overall project completion: 68.3 percent
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Construction work: 23 percent executed
Over 90 percent of major equipment, including turbines, skids, and cooling units, is already onshore in Guyana, stored for final assembly.
The liquids-processing facility, built entirely in Houston under controlled conditions, awaits shipment once logistics and sequencing are finalized.
“Everything is built like a Lego,” Drake explained. “You spend your money manufacturing in a controlled environment never improvise in the field.”
Completion Horizon: Early 2026
Despite the earlier delays, Drake reaffirmed that power generation is expected to begin between January and March 2026.
He emphasized that the project’s payoff extends beyond cheaper electricity; it includes new industrial capacity, exportable expertise, and national energy security.
“Guyana will not only power itself it will power possibility,” he said to applause.
Transparency and Accountability
Acknowledging public scrutiny and previous controversies, Drake struck a candid tone:
“We don’t ask for blind faith. We ask for fair judgment based on verified progress, audited standards, and the thousands of Guyanese men and women who are part of this journey.”
He committed to regular public reporting, independent verification, and strict local-content compliance.
Drake also referenced the company’s transition following the departure of partner CH4, noting that arbitration proceedings are ongoing but have not impeded project momentum.
Reactions from Delegates
Conference attendees described Drake’s address as a blend of technical candor and executive optimism.
One regional banker remarked that his presentation “reset the tone from politics to performance,” while a university engineering dean called it “a masterclass in risk communication.”
Media outlets quickly picked up the revelation of the US$100 million stabilization cost and the near-complete arrival of equipment in-country as signs of substantive progress beneath the headlines.
A Call for Partnership
Drake closed his keynote with a forward-looking appeal:
“Guyana’s success cannot be subcontracted. It must be shared by government, by business, and by community. The foundations we pour today must support generations.”
As applause filled the ballroom, his words encapsulated the conference’s broader message: that Guyana’s growth will depend not just on discovery, but on discipline.
About Lindsayca / LND Guyana
Lindsayca, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Texas, specializes in energy infrastructure, EPC services, and gas-to-power integration across the Americas.
Its Guyana operations, LND Guyana Inc,. lead the construction of the Wales Gas-to-Energy plant, a cornerstone project in Guyana’s national energy diversification strategy.
