Reply to "Let us end the Linden Subsidy or give 50 percent to the workers of Wales."

By Jomo Paul

[www.inewsguyana.com] Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has announced that with a billion dollar subsidy to the LinMine Electricity Company, residents of Linden will be paying just $5 per Kilowatt hour for electricity in the mining town.

The Company is also listed for a $1B subvention under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and $2B under the Ministry of Finance. Patterson made the revelation following questions from Opposition members of the National Assembly. He stated that while residential customers will pay $5, business consumers will have to pay some $12.

However, while this is the case, PPP MP Nigel Dharamlall informed the House that residents of Lethem are paying some $180 per house.

“The Amerindians of Lethem are paying way above what other areas are paying especially Linden and we would like to urge the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to relook at the rates,” said Dharamlall.

He told the House that the information was obtained from a colleague member of Parliament; he was however forced to withdraw the statement after he failed to provide proof of the claim and Patterson pointed out the correct figures.

According to the Public Infrastructure Minister, residents of Lethem enjoy the first 15 kilowatts of energy for free. The next 15-50 kilowatts is charged at $60 and over 50 kilowatts is charged at $80 per kilowatt.

The Lethem Power Company is listed for a $70M subvention under the Office of the Prime Minister, while the company is also slated to benefit from a $35M subvention under the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

The monies from the Office of the Prime Minister were approved on Monday and the monies under the Public Infrastructure Ministry on Tuesday. It should be noted that while these areas have electricity subventions, other areas in Guyana pay the flat rate of $48 per KWH of residential electricity. The rate is a few dollars higher for commercial users.