President makes another spot check on Amaila Falls road project

President makes another spot check on Amaila Falls road project

Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2013

A spot check on the stretch of road to Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) site by President Donald Ramotar today brought a greater understanding about the challenges ahead of the June deadline for when substantial completion is expected.

A helicopter reconnaissance by the Head of State in the company of Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn and Technical Consultant Walter Willis provided insight into the state of preparations on the physical infrastructure beginning from the Mabura trail into the Essequibo River.

President Donald Ramotar, Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn and Technical Adviser Walter Willis in discussion during an inspection of the road under construction to the Amaila Falls

They descended at Butukari for a first hand inspection of the river crossing conditions before continuing the aerial journey up the Kuribrong River into an area Minister Benn described as one of concern, and which grants physical access to the falls.

Fair weather and low water levels made it possible for the team to visit critical areas and to have an understanding of the unresolved issues, Minister Benn said in an invited comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA) subsequent to the visit.

An aerial view of the road to the Amaila Falls under construction

The project had suffered a major setback when the Government was forced to terminate the contract awarded to Fip Motilall of Synergy Holdings for failing to meet certain criteria under the terms of the contract awarded to him.

The AFHP is one of several priority projects under Guyana’s revolutionary Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) that is projected to be the main source of electricity generation in Guyana, simultaneously reducing the cost consumers pay for electricity.

An aerial view of works ongoing in preparation for the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project

Constantly the government has been defending the project in the face of widespread media speculation and criticism from the main opposition political parties that used their one seat majority to cut funding allocated to the project in last year’s budget.

President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn interacting with residents at Mahdia during a stop over

Financial closure for the project is still pending, but is likely to be concluded by the “second or third quarter of this year” according to President Ramotar who was at the time speaking to the media at a press conference on January 11.

This little lad greets President Donald Ramotar on his arrival at Mahdia, Region Eight

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan for the project, according to President Ramotar, is hinging on a suite of safeguard measures that was advanced following environmental impact studies that were conducted.