THE combined Parliamentary opposition parties’ inability to speak on the issue of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) at last Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly, and their not giving the people of Guyana a plausible explanation for their actions, is not only disrespectful to the Guyanese citizenry, but is an abuse of the combined opposition parties’ Parliamentary power, according to substantive Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, who is also acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. At a PPP media briefing at Freedom House on Robb Street, Georgetown yesterday, Minister Ali said. “The joint intention of the AFC and APNU to stymie national development has long been known with the constant unjustified attacks on important transformational projects. Indeed, when their queries are dismantled and explained by the Government, they shift their goalpost in relation to their support for these projects.”

Stressing that the PPP’s constant view has always been that issues of national development and those seeking to improve the lives and living conditions of the Guyanese people must be dealt with in an unbiased and nationalistic manner, Minister Ali said these issues must not be subject to political conditions that manipulate them as tools to achieve political outcomes; and it is “unthinkable” that a project like the AFHP would receive the non-support of the AFC and APNU, since it has unanimously been deemed  beneficial to Guyana by almost all Guyanese and policy makers, historically and currently.

The minister asserted that the combined opposition parties’ joint attacks on national development have jeopardised not only the AFHP, but the ability to build national consensus as well. “These unfounded attacks make a fool of the dialogue process, and put to shame the engagement by the Government in seeking to build consensus with the opposition on important national projects,” he declared, as he questioned what explanation the joint opposition parties could give for denying Guyanese the benefits accruable from the Amaila Fall Hydro Project.

According to him, based on an estimated 20 percent reduction in electricity tariffs from commencement of the AFHP operations, residential consumers would have saved approximately $208.7M monthly, or $2.5B annually; and commercial consumers would have saved some $91.3M monthly, or $1.1B annually, while industrial consumers would have saved $84.1M monthly or $1B annually.

Moreover, it is estimated that, with the AFHP, electricity tariffs could be reduced by as much as 40 percent, while Guyana’s fuel import bill could be reduced by approximately 20 to 25 percent, resulting in the country saving more than US$90 million annually on imported fuel.

Minister Ali said the AFHP could lead to the cost of generating electricity being reduced by 20 to 40 percent, and to electricity being generated using a 100 percent renewable source. This, he said, has the potential of earning approximately US$10M annually from the sale of carbon credits.

He said this project could enable energy security, which is important for national development; and that affordable and reliable energy is important to accelerate national efforts at structural transformation by making manufacturing and agro-processing activities feasible.

He said the AFHP would also have been instrumental in enhancing Guyana’s competitiveness through substantially reduced cost of production and improved reliability of electricity supply.

Ali assured that the issues of national development, which are in the interest of the Guyanese people, are non-negotiable; and he stressed that the PPP government would neither rest in regard to, nor shy away from, exploring every possibility and option that would restore not only the hope, but the accomplishment of hydroelectric power in Guyana as well.

“We must guard against the combined AFC and APNU using their one-seat mischief to strangulate Guyana’s development, and hold our people hostage in the process of flexing political muscles,” he declared.

The minister, however, related that President Ramotar, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, and the Attorney General are in process of evaluating the options available to the Government in regard to the issue. Moreover,
Government Chief Whip, Ms. Gail Teixeira, is also reviewing the rules to outline the available options.

Ali noted, also, that APNU Leader, David Granger, recently made a statement that the bill could always be returned to the House; but he said that if Granger is honest in his pronouncement, then he has the responsibility to bring the bill back to the National Assembly.

“If he believes that they made an error of judgement and there is some redemption in their action, then the ball is in their court; then they can bring the bill back! This is a possibility that is alive and well out there,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said it is “extremely unfortunate and greatly upsetting” that the joint opposition parties have taken this position against the hydropower project. He noted that there is much talk about linking it to the holding of local government elections, since the opposition parties attempted last Thursday to rearrange the sequence of the Government’s Business on the Order Paper to bring forward the debate on four local government bills, but were unsuccessful, since the government refused to allow this to be done by remaining silent.

However, Benn said that he can see no reason for the linkage between the AFHP and issues of local government elections.
He said he was very happy to have been able to arrange and to have accompanied opposition members, particularly those who have a great deal of technical expertise and interest, on a visit to the Amaila Falls road project, where they were able to see young Guyanese working on the project, not only as labourers, but as engineers as well.
He said the government is very disappointed by the move of the Parliamentary opposition parties, and sees their actions as “a real let down”; but would nevertheless look forward to any openings to widen the discussion and debate on the project.

He added that last Thursday he begged for Parliamentary support for the Hydro-Electric Bill, and is prepared to beg again, if need be. “I am not ashamed to beg when it comes to the future of my country; and I want to call on all to appeal, to exert the opposition elements to come around to the national position with respect to this tremendously important project for our country’s development,” he emphasised.
Benn stressed that the situation is bigger than any political party or individual. He said it is of such great national interest that one could not have fathomed it being rejected by anyone.