EVs Keeping Guyana Green:
Everywhere Yuh Tun is a BYD
I was walking along Camp Street to get some business done and I overheard a man saying to his friend: “everywhere yuh tun is a BYD”. In true Guyanese fashion, I jumped in the conversation and asked if he ever had a chance to sit in one. “Mistress”, he exclaimed, “dem vehicle quiet bad bad, and dem ain gah no exhaust!”.
As we laughed and continued on our journeys, what clicked for me was how visible Guyana’s practice of balancing our economic growth and care for our environment has been. We are a country where our oil and gas sector and our preservation of the environment are equally important for our survival, and as several of our leaders have pointed out, Guyana has the capacity to manage our wealth and our natural resources simultaneously.
One recognizable way we have been doing this is with the introduction of electric vehicles. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahender Sharma shared that there are about 200,000 electric vehicles on Guyana’s roadways, with that number steadily increasing. The benefits of these vehicles on us as Guyanese extend beyond lower prices, creating opportunities that positively impact our environment and communities.
- EVs reduce noise pollution
Electric vehicles offer Guyanese another choice for getting around, and that choice fits naturally into a broader vision for a Green Guyana. EVs run on electricity rather than relying on a conventional engine. This makes them quiet, smooth and a great addition to modern transportation around the world.
For Guyana, embracing this technology means we can explore how new forms of transportation can work alongside our environmental priorities, reducing noise especially in Georgetown and its environs.
- EVs keep our cities green
As Guyana grows, our towns and villages will grow too. More businesses, more homes and more people mean we have an opportunity to think early about what we want our villages and homes to look and feel like in the future. As Guyana’s government embarks on the Model Village Initiative, electric mobility can be part of that vision. Our villages and communities can have built in provisions for electric cars, buses and other forms of transportation that are part of everyday life, alongside parks, trees and pedestrian spaces. A modern country like Guyana means we are able to stay connected to nature while improving the lives of our citizens.
- EVs demonstrate how technology and nature can work together
Being green means finding smart ways to use technology while being intentional about the environment we want to preserve. EVs demonstrate how we can combine modern engineering with a different approach to transportation, giving Guyana the opportunity to participate in a global shift toward new mobility technologies while developing solutions that work for our own nation.
- EVs create job opportunities for Guyanese
We are adding more charging stations across the country, we are training technicians to be able to maintain and repair the vehicles’ electrical services, and we are providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to offer Guyanese new transportation solutions. This approach places Guyanese at the centre of skills transfers, while creating job opportunities for more Guyanese.
Electric Vehicles demonstrate how a country like Guyana can ensure its development is tied to its protection and preservation of the natural environment. So, the next time you walk around, and all you seeing is BYD, remember that we are maintaining this green land of Guyana.
.png)
.jpg)
