http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...tories/03/29/233721/

Da marriott goh be good dem minista get dem hookahs like dem do a princess. eh nah go mek money

I felt we need the actual article than a link

Amaila Falls Hydro – A disaster in the making
March 29, by Christopher Ram



Introduction
Generations of Guyanese in this Land of Many Waters have been enchanted by the dream of Hydro-electric power with its assumed potential for lower electricity charges. Up to recently, the Burnham administration had come closest to the dream, spending millions of dollars on an entity called the Upper Mazaruni Development Authority (UMDA) as part of a grand project to develop a Hydro facility. Nothing came of this huge expense.

The idea of hydro-electric power was revived under the Jagdeo administration which settled on a 165 MW facility at Amaila Falls at a cost of about US$840 million (excluding interest). The concept for this project is that the operator will sell power to the Guyana Power and Light under a Power Purchase Agreement for a period of 20 years, after which ownership of this facility – built on a BOOT Model – will revert to the Government.
A smaller facility at Kato is also being funded by the Government.

Amaila has had its own blight with a disastrous road project awarded to favoured “investor”, Mr. Fip Motilall by the ubiquitous NICIL to build an access road to the site. NICIL made the award to Synergy despite publicly expressed concerns that the company did not have the experience, skills training, capability, human resources nor equipment and tools to undertake such a task.

Motilall inevitably had to be fired and the contract divided up among local contractors. The most recent available information is that the local contractors who have replaced Motilall have also not performed well and that  Chinese contractors are being considered to complete the project.
October 2013 is the date to which the contract price of the hydro-electric power plant extends. If the roads are not completed, the price will have to be renegotiated.

The Deal itself
As with the road itself, the Marriott deal, the Specialty Hospital, the New Timehri Airport Extension, etc. official information on the Amaila Project is still unavailable. Information has to be gathered from such disparate sources as the press, comments from PM Hinds and spokespersons from Sithe Global –a main participant in the project.
This unavailability of documentation on what is obviously the largest ever investment in the history of Guyana –approximately US$840 million (excluding interest) –is truly mind blogging. It speaks of the persistent perception that the Government does not think it necessary to inform, let alone consult, Guyanese but that it has a divine right to do as it pleases and Guyanese should be thankful.

This is what is “known” so far:

• i    Approximate Capital cost of Project – US$840 million (excluding interest)
• Breakdown as follows:
• Chinese Source          US$413 million
• IDB (Proposed)          US$175 million
• Sithe Global          US$152 million
• Government of Guyana          US$100 million
• Total              US$840 million
• ii    Recent reports have shown an increase in the Chinese sources contribution to approximately $506 Million US.
• iii   There is no report of the IDB funding being approved.
• iv    Sithe claims to have already “invested” over US$11.1 million since 2009 on various expenses including over $1 billion Guyana dollars in “environmental work”.
• v     Acquisition costs of Motilall’s “licence” is US$12 million.
• vi     Return on investment for Sithe – 19% guaranteed on US$28.8 million per annum on US$577.6 million over 20 years. Not bad at all.
• vii    Interest on Chinese investment of approximately 8.5% or US$42.5 million per annum or US$850 million over 20 years.
• viii   Interest on Chinese Funding plus Guaranteed Rate of Return on Sithe already adds up to US$1,427 million.

ix      Excluding other interest (IDB GOG) the total project is now at a sum in excess of US$2,200 Million for 165 megawatts or US$13.3 million per megawatt as compared to approximately US$1 million for 1 megawatt of Wartsila Power.

x       Under normal circumstances a 165 megawatt Hydro Facility would come in at about US$320-360 million. But this is Guyana where nothing is normal so the total cost (principal + interest) is about six times the normal.

Not only is the cost exorbitant, there are other major concerns as well:

• i        Financial closure has not been achieved because the China Development Bank is asking IDB to share some of the financial risks.
• ii       A study has been commissioned for a Corporate Development Plan for GPL to consider and make recommendations on action necessary to operate within the framework of a viable hydroelectricity power purchase agreement.
• iii      The Power Purchase Agreement which Sithe Global is insisting on is a take-or-pay which means that GPL is buying power that it does not currently need.
• iv      GPL is hoping that all the companies and Linden not currently on the National Grid will return.
• v       Unless GPL can bring down losses to below 20% the power purchase will not be viable.
• vi      To achieve ii. and iv. will require financing of approximately US$250 million.
• vii     Not all consumers will be served by hydroelectric power.
• viii    No formal approach has been made to the Public Utilities Commission for rates. The estimate is that tariffs will not be reduced for several years, in the absence of any subsidies.

Amaila, the most expensive project ever undertaken in Guyana, is full of risks and uncertainties. It has the potential to render GPL insolvent. Before pronouncing further on this project, Ram & McRae would need to see all the questions answered.

ABIDHA :

not bad...I do not care for politicians they are mostly liars and thieves and men of litle or no integrity..

But despite everything you posted I have two simple questions...when is Gerogetown going to be cleaned up..it is disgraceful....when will the heritage buildings get a coat of paint?

Little things reflect a lot...

It's about time the Ministers have a decent place to hang out. They earned it. Now, do you have a problem with sex workers who maintain the tradition of the age old trade? Guyana should legalize the trade like Las Vagas. Are you a poke knocker just come to town?

If the Guyanese people are willing a nice prison cell awaits many of these thieves.

Oh yuh like yoh hookah dem? Gyal abidha yuh a one a dem indo gurl a go barbados foh de high class act? 

The bill is passed to clean up the city and it should commence with a timeline to get it all cleaned up. I agree with you on the politicians, but they are humans too, and either we love them or hate them, they will still be there.

I do not care they that they are human...they are representatives of the people and ought to be held to higher standards...do not make excuses for them..

how about repairing/maintaining the heritage buildings and repainting them...such as the city hall and the St. Georges Cathedral...how about cleaning up the drains especially at the praliament buildings and Georgetown in general...no excuses please..

That man christipher ram can ge abie facts. 

Ah wah bill aluh want foh clean up de place? Aluh want Bill goat? Aluh need local government electshun soh de people cyan shun Hammie and all aluh PPP tiefman dem in dem villahe council

Thieving is one of the opposition mantra and it has no merit to date. I don't understand why you hollering thief when the country it moving up rapidly. I would holler thief if the country was going down in a sink hole like what Burnham did. so, if you feel like howling, just howl like a restless dog.

Ow meh gaad look how yuh a wan ungrateful neemakaram daag. Yuh like burnham constution and yuh talk bad pun de ole man. Dat constution a help yuh foh tief and mek big house a lenora and de presi protect yuh. parliament cyant do yuh nothin. yuh a wan rale neemakaram daag. 

Dem AFC a howl like dem see Jumbie. Ha Ha

Some of dem ah even worship Jumbie. Ha Ha

Some of dem jealous till they look like Jumbie.

Let the progress under PPP continue. Long Live our President !

Owe abie canoe brahmin believe in jumbie. 

Did you see how quick these stray dogs missed the cream of topic that was asked? The year 2016 will pass them by hubu backdam fighting like hyenas for a piece of dead meat. 

Re: repainting the heritage buildings in the G/Town the three parliamentary parties agreed privately that the paints can be put to better use if it is used to write "vote PPP, PNC, or AFC" on the walls, fences, and elevated water tanks, etc.

Another excellent post by my friend Abidha!

Lemme says this. The PPP is a results oriented party---and they know that the actions they are taking today will lead to big results--big results require big ambitions--and that is what we are seeing from the PPP.

On the other hand---the AFC/PNC are a bunch of do-nothing losers---they can bray from now until thy kingdom come---they can keep hating---but nothing they do or say will stop the progress and positivity in Guyana under the PPP.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ABIDHA---Excellent lead post.

Rev

THE REV ENCOURAGES ALL TO POST IN GNI SOCIAL:

https://guyana.crowdstack.io/displayF...m/264469020631543004

Lots of positivity and good vibes in social.

Where else would you see a thread like:

RELIGION IS LIKE A PENIS

Rev

BY THE WAY, THE JUMBIE METAPHOR USED BY ABIDHA WAS BRILLIANT

Speaking of Jumbies--check them out

Scary Jumbies ! They burn in Envy at the progress of the PPP.

ABIDHA: "Dogs howl when they see jumbie! . . . The howling "dog phrase" is used when people howl or cry while others work and government busy taking care of the country's business"

=========================== 

soooo . . . who are the "dogs" and who/what are the "jumbies" again??

har de har har har har har

'cleverness' is best NOT pursued by confused and poorly educated antimen

when is the last time you ****** your **** and ****** her well, huh redux/tk ?

Your obsession with the word antimen reveals that someone does the job for you.

Rev

heh heh heh heh heh

you're better off sticking to promotion of pedophilia on the other forum . . . more your style

Maybe you guys should look into consulting with some Obeah people to help out!

Moses Kali church does that type of work. We do not participate in those types of activities.

That's a nervous laugh redux/tk---but it's Easter weekend---so the Rev will let you off lightly.hahaha

Check this in social:

HOW A MAN LOVES

https://guyana.crowdstack.io/displayF...t/317390672484862434

Rev

The dogs are politicians for the AFC & APNU camp and the jumbies are progress and prosperity that scare the howling dogs. Remember, Nigel Hughes get a heart attack when he went into the interior where the PPP is hard at work? That should give you an idea what I am talking about.

ummm . . . your smiley face and the social invite are noted antiman [i'm not looking for friends]

i [re]post the full exchange just so everybady understands just what u are trying to smokescreen

enjoy

abidha i here my dogs barking last night were you passing my house

A dog is supposed to bark if any stranger passes by, but when they howl all night, you will definitely be upset especially when you can't sleep.   

so u are actually confirming that the PPP have foisted a bunch of "jumbie" projects on the nation in lieu of development

thanks for clearing that up dumb ass

the ppp is committing all kind of crimes the hindu will say they living in dark times so they dealing with jumbies

. Correction