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Nehru

And they are itching to do so AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finance Minister sees Amaila Falls veto as ‘an act of sabotage’

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Sunday, 21 July 2013 00:36

FINANCE Minister Dr Ashni Singh has said the recent vote by the Opposition against the Amaila Hydropower project can only be viewed as an act of sabotage directed against national development and all right-minded Guyanese. He further said in his address to the National Assembly Thursday that while the Opposition has been given every opportunity to stand up for nation building and collectively work towards improving the lives of every citizen, the AFC and APNU have chosen instead to play

political football with the issue at hand.

Minister Dr Ashni Singh

“Why is it that this piece of Legislation did not receive the benefit of the support of the APNU and the AFC?” he asked of no one in particular, and, not expecting a response either, said: “It only can be described as a retaliatory vote…for the failed and thwarted attempt to frustrate the Standing Orders anddisrupt the sequence of business.” According to a statement issued by his office late yesterday, “the Guarantee of Loans (Public Corporations and Companies) Act (CAP 77:01) was laid before Parliament on Thursday July 18 as part of a prerequisite for IDB funding of the Amaila Hydro Project. “The Amendments to this Act are necessary in order to facilitate the implementation of the Power Purchase Agreement and to increase the amount of liability that can be guaranteed by the Government to an amount which shall not exceed G$150B.” The Government of Guyana is providing Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. (AFHI), a special purpose company owned by Sithe Global, a performance guarantee on behalf of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). The Guarantee’s purpose is to promote the implementation of the project. During the course of his presentation, Minister Singh reportedly noted that given that the project itself has not had any significant objections from either the Opposition or government, he is rather surprised and disappointed that the Legislature has taken such a draconian approach “to kill a Bill” that has the potential to benefit the entire country. “All of us in this House have at one time or another advocated the harnessing of Guyana’s hydropower potential, and indeed gone further to recognize the merits of the Amaila HydroPower Project,” he said, adding that it is for this very reason the projects’ failure to be realized is damaging to all Guyana, including AFC, APNU and PPP supporters. Not yet done, he further quoted a member of the Opposition as once saying, “The supporters of the APNU do not live on one side of the country while supporters of the PPP live on another side of the country. “They live in the same villages; they live in the same streets; they live next to each other; they are served by the same electricity grid; they work in the same business, offices, and factories whose growth, production and productivity and profitability and expansion will phenomenally and favourably be influenced by affordable and reliable power.” Contending that the move to derail the Bill is an attempt by the joint Opposition to frustrate the PPP and the Government at all costs, Dr Singh said every conceivable attempt was made by the government to inform and keep the AFC and APNU abreast of what was happening with the project by way of several closed-door consultations. Those consultations, he said, occurred over several months, as government tirelessly tried to facilitate the inclusion of all stakeholders. Since 2012, the joint Opposition met with Sithe Global for a walk through of the project. On March 14, 2012 Government presented a detailed overview of the project and invited questions and concerns to be raised, yet no one did. The public and Opposition were once again given the opportunity to be briefed on the project during the 2012 Budget debates, during which the development of the road leading to the hydro site was discussed. In 2013, there were four forums at which the Opposition was updated, apprised, and even given a tour of the road, as government attempted to reach across and involve all political stakeholders. In addition to the inclusion of the joint Opposition, government also facilitated the Private Sector, Opposition, and media consultations by Sithe Global. There were also environmental consultations with all key stakeholders including the indigenous people as part of government’s effort to involve the public.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) According to the statement, Minister Singh further noted that in addition to the vast long term benefits the hydro project is expected to offer the country, the current investor’s presence in Guyana also builds international credibility for foreign direct investors to confidently invest. The Amaila Hydro Project is being funded by several major international financers including the IDB, Blackstone Group, Sithe Global, China Development Bank and China Railway First Group. The involvement of these financers is seen as boosters to the government of Guyana as their involvement is expected to promote international investor confidence for future projects. “Shame on the Opposition!” scolded the minister. “As a Legislature, we should be doing everything possible to attract investors such as these to Guyana, not chasing them away like the Opposition is trying to do.” Minister Sigh said he is confident that by having these international investors present in the country, it will open doors for other investors to get on board other projects that will facilitate the further development of Guyana. It was noted that the vote against the amendments is damaging to investor confidence after the PPP government took years to restore the tarnished international reputation it inherited from the previous administration. “One cannot claim to be a patriot, one cannot claim to be a champion of foreign direct investment one cannot possibility claim to be committed to inward investment in our country if one will frustrate the attempts of such an investor coming to Guyana,” chided the Finance Minister. Minister Singh concluded his arguments by reminding the Legislature that the Amaila project is a historical and transformational one and the parliament should not miss an opportunity to do good for the people of Guyana. “If we want history to remember and judge us as responsible members of parliament we must vote resoundingly in favor of this project,” he concluded. Government will be meeting with stakeholders over the coming days to garner support for the project and to explore other options that would facilitate the project to fruition.

Last Updated on Sunday, 21 July 2013 00:37

There’s enough for everybody in the world but not for everybody’s greed

July 21, 2013 | By KNews | Filed Under Letters

Dear Editor,
It is no surprise that President Donald Ramotar would disingenuously address the public after the bold stance the joint opposition took in voting against the bill to amend the Hydro Electric Act in Parliament on Thursday, July 18.
Fellow Guyanese, all the years when the PPP had the majority in Parliament, bills were passed in their favor that the opposition had no control (VAT, allocating extra money to projects, Budget allocations) and most of them were not in the favor of Guyanese and as a result, extra hardship was forced on us in Guyana. The then President didn’t address us and asked us to have patience and that things will get better. Mr. Ramotar said jobs will be created, I am wonder if the jobs would be for us or Chinese, because the last time job was created, Chinese gets it (check Marriot Hotel). This is one of the biggest investment in Guyana and was never started correctly. Fip Motilall collected money for unfinished work and I didn’t hear Mr. Ramotar saying anything. The Skeldon Sugar Factory was suppose to deliver lots of things too and to date, we are still awaiting on results. Look at the exorbitant fee Berbice Harbor Bridge is fleecing from motorist. What guarantee we have that this project will not turn out like the Berbice Bridge for the next twenty years before it is handed over to us? Kemraj Ramjattan claims that the IDB did not want country’s external ceiling debt raise to $150B from $1B. Mr. Ramotar did not tell us how they reach to that figure.
Fellow Guyanese, when it was proven that checks were being written to certain individuals names instead of the NCN and no charges laid, the President never explained why. Corruption is being exposed regularly in Guyana and no one is being charged or dismissed from their job. Now that the joint opposition is scrutinizing how our money is being spent, we are getting an address that is aimed to make them looks bad. It would have indeed be a sad day for us if the opposition had voted in their favor.
Fellow Guyanese, since the PPP started to govern Guyana in 1992, corruption over took Guyana like a cancer and most of them pointing to Ministers or Party members/supporters and none of those that accusations level against was ever charged or disciplined. Today, the corruption is so many that Guyanese are forgetting them and only when similar occurs or someone mention it, they recall it. The address shows the level that they would stoop at to get what they want.
Mohandas Gandhi famously said that there is enough on Earth for everybody’s need, but not enough for everybody’s greed. He must have foresee the PPP ruling Guyana and decided to say that!
Sahadeo Bates

7/21/135:26 PM

MitwahSenior Member

July 19th, 2013

At the Sitting of Parliament on Thursday, July 18, 2013, the Alliance For Change was fully prepared to support the Hydro-Electric Power (Amendment) Bill 2013. This Bill provides for the conservation and preservation of the environment and eco-systems surrounding the hydroelectric resources of Guyana. The AFC supports any rational measure to protect the environment.

A Motion brought by the Government seeking approval to raise the guarantee of loans by public corporations and companies to $150 billion was not going to be supported by the AFC given our concerns that to do so could result in greater debt burden that would eventually have to be borne by taxpayers.

In pledging its support for the Hydroelectric Bill, the AFC sought to ensure that the Government in turn would support the four Local Government Bills which had already passed through Special Select Committee.

The behaviour of the government, in not even speaking on these Bills clearly demonstrated total reluctance on their part to have Local Government Elections.

Despite securing the principled support of the AFC for the Hydroelectric Bill, the PPPC Members of Parliament attempted to force the AFC to support either both the Bill and the Motion, or none at all.

The 'bullyism' and attempt to dominate the National Assembly by the minority PPPC Government forced the AFC to withhold its support for the Hydroelectric Bill.

The AFC remains committed to clean energy and in this context will await the findings of the IDB feasibility study on the Amaila Hydropower Project. The AFC's support for the Project hinges on the results of the study.

The government's position yesterday clearly indicates that the holding of Local Government Elections; a must for most Guyanese citizens, is not a priority for the PPPC. [END]

7/21/135:48 PM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Nehru:

Originally Posted by Kari:

Nehru Bai....Jalil fish yuh up deh.....like a lamuta....

Well then it has to be good to get fish up sometimes.

Kari yuh don't understand

King Fighter......just like Kwame

will always shown his love and admiration for Dr Beck ...

Dr Beck mek ee bend down and touch eee toe

put eee two hand pun eee shoulda....

still Dr Beck using a next hand fuh inject eee.....

eee love De Docta Injection....

KING FIGHTER DOES TEK EEE INJECTION WITH A SMILE

7/21/137:31 PM

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