The fuel crisis – Kaieteur News

(Kaieteur News) – The long lines at gas stations across Guyana are not just a symptom of temporary supply hiccups. They are the direct and painful consequence of a dangerous geopolitical gamble, one driven by the United States under Donald Trump and its ally Israel that has now spiraled into a global oil crisis.

Let us be clear: Guyanese motorists queuing for fuel, minibus drivers being rationed to $3,500 at the pump, and businesses bracing for disruption are all collateral damage in a conflict thousands of miles away. A conflict that did not have to happen.

The decision to launch strikes against Iran on February 28 has triggered exactly the kind of global instability that experts have long warned about. At the center of this unfolding crisis is the Strait of Hormuz—a narrow but critical artery through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply flows. Disrupt that passage, and you do not just inconvenience markets, you send shockwaves through every economy on earth. That is precisely what has happened.

Flows through the strait have been choked. Millions of barrels of oil have been knocked offline. Tankers are stalled. Insurance risks are soaring. And now, as reports indicate moves to further restrict or control access through this vital corridor, the situation has worsened from instability to outright crisis.

And here at home, the effects are immediate. President Irfaan Ali has been forced into urgent consultations with fuel importers as shortages grip the country. The government speaks of shipments arriving “as early as tonight,”  (Monday night) but that offers little comfort to citizens already stuck in long, winding lines or forced to ration their daily movement.

This is not just about inconvenience. This is about vulnerability. Guyana, despite being a rapidly emerging oil producer, still depends heavily on imported refined fuel. That dependence exposes the country to precisely this kind of external shock. And when global supply chains are disrupted by war especially war centered on critical oil infrastructure, small nations like ours feel it first and feel it hardest.

What makes this situation even more troubling is that it was entirely predictable. For decades, analysts have warned that any major conflict involving Iran would put the Strait of Hormuz at risk. It is the world’s most sensitive oil chokepoint. Yet, in spite of this, the decision was made to escalate militarily. Not diplomatically. Not strategically. Militarily.

The result? A global oil market that has flipped overnight from expected surplus to dangerous deficit. Reuters reported on Monday that supply could fall short by hundreds of thousands of barrels per day, with deeper deficits looming if disruptions persist. Millions of barrels are already stranded. Prices are surging. And recovery, even under the best-case scenario, could take months.

Meanwhile, ordinary Guyanese are left to bear the burden. It is the minibus driver who cannot earn because fuel is rationed. It is the small business owner facing rising costs. It is the household already stretched thin, now forced to absorb yet another shock. And for what?

What strategic victory justifies destabilising a global energy system that billions depend on? What justification can be offered to countries like Guyana, which played no role in this conflict yet must now suffer its consequences?

This is the harsh reality of global power politics: decisions made in Washington and Tel Aviv ripple outward, often with devastating effects on smaller, developing nations. Guyana’s leaders are doing what they can, meeting importers, securing shipments, monitoring the situation. But let us not pretend that local management alone can fix what is fundamentally an international crisis.

This moment should serve as a wake-up call. Guyana must accelerate efforts to strengthen its energy security, including refining capacity and strategic reserves. The country cannot continue to be so exposed to external shocks, especially as global tensions rise. At the same time, the international community must reckon with the consequences of reckless military action. Wars are no longer confined to battlefields, they are felt at gas stations, in grocery stores, and in the daily lives of ordinary people across the globe. The fuel lines in Georgetown are more than just a local problem. They are a visible reminder that in an interconnected world, instability anywhere can become hardship everywhere.

And right now, Guyana is paying the price.