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FM
Former Member

Norway’s threat forces Govt to pursue Amaila

Fossil power out, Green power in

Mounting pressures from the Norwegian government on the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change AMAILA(APNU+AFC) administration and a threat to withdraw critical financing has led to the government’s decision to bring to the front burner the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP). The Norwegian government, under the Low Carbon Development Strategy had committed US$80M for the project. However upon assumption in office in May 2015, the Granger-led Administration had made clear its intentions to abandon the project. As a matter of fact, Finance Minister Winston Jordan during the 2015 National Budget Debates, had declared that to proceed with the project would be “a downright act of criminal deception “ and vowed his government would abandon the project. However the minister was forced to take back his words as Norwegian government has reportedly threatened to take back the US$80M as was committed to the project. Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Wednesday said government never abandoned the Amaila Falls Project. According to sources, the APNU+AFC administration met with Norwegian officials who made it clear the country was keen on funding a clean and renewable energy project in Guyana and touted the AFHP as a viable option. Despite efforts by the Guyana government to promote other locations, Norway was firm on its position to move ahead with Amaila. The Norwegian government is adamant that Amaila is a viable option and threatened that if this was not proceeded with, then Guyana faces the possibility of losing the US$80 million for clean energy as well as pulling the plug on any continuation of the Guyana/Norway Forest preservation deal. Critics are seeing Jordan’s pronouncement of Norway funding a final “feasibility” of the project as an attempt to sidetrack from the embarrassment of having to return to a project he once rejected. AFHP was designed to generate 165MW of electricity to satisfy consumer and industrial demand. Presently this is achieved solely from imported oil which consumes scarce foreign reserves. The utilisation of renewable water resource to generate electricity would – after the investment were paid off in 20 years – allow these funds to be utilised for social or infrastructural spending. However, the then Opposition APNU and AFC early on dismissed the project as a “pie in the sky” dream of former President Bharat Jagdeo. Yet it was subsequently revealed from studies conducted by the World Bank in the 1970s, that they always knew Amaila Falls was a contender for a hydro-electric facility. Guyana will put in US$100 million (of which US$80 million would come from the Norwegian Fund accessible to Guyana); the build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) partner Sithe Global US$152M; Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) US$175M, and China Development Bank (CDB) US$413M. Meanwhile, with ExxonMobil facing possible fines in the billions of US$ for ducking data in its possession to show the nexus between global warming and carbon emission from fossil fuels, the entire energy industry is taking another hard look at green energy such as hydro and wind power. Against this background, Norway’s insistence on “use it or lose it” on the US$80M it transferred to the IDB fund that undergirds Guyana’s contribution to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, has evidently convinced the government to reverse its former opposition to the project.

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quote "Despite efforts by the Guyana government to promote other locations, Norway was firm on its position to move ahead with Amaila. The Norwegian government is adamant that Amaila is a viable option and threatened that if this was not proceeded with, then Guyana faces the possibility of losing the US$80 million for clean energy as well as pulling the plug on any continuation of the Guyana/Norway Forest preservation deal."unquote

FM

The PNC/AFC buckled under pressure of “use it or lose it” on the US$80M it transferred to the IDB fund that undergirds Guyana’s contribution to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, has evidently convinced the government to reverse its former opposition to the project.

 

After the India's Hospital Project it is now once again "Thanks to the PPP/C"

FM

Look how the truth does come to light. These idiots in power blocked this important project while in opposition and now they have to eat crow. We are not discounting that the PPP made blunders, however let us acknowledge that they genuinely wanted to move the country forward despite stumbling they kept moving forward. What has the afc/apnu done? Destroy and block progress. 

FM
Originally Posted by Bibi Haniffa:

Oh my.  The dirt always come out in the wash.  

Will not be surprised if they (PNC/AFC) hijack more of the PPP/C projects. Sheer pack of dunces in this Coalition Government.

FM

THE SHIT HEADS CALLED PNC AND THE TWO NEE MACK NEE MAKARAM HOUSE SLAVES WERE HOLLERING THIS PROJECT IS NOT GOOD FOR GUYANA, DAT DEM KILL THE PROJECT AT ALL COST. NOW THE PROJECT IS VIABLE. THESE CLUELESS SHIT HEADS CANT RUN A BLOODY CAKE SHOP, HOW THE HELL THEY GUN RUN A COUNTRY!!!

Nehru

The clueless and incompetent PNC/AFC Govt will be led by their noses.  Imagine, when did you see a foreign power demanding the development of a project that a sitting Govt shelved.  If this does not reflect incompetence of the highest order, then what.  Burnham project got killed by foreign powers, PPP project got killed by domestic politics, just to be put back on track by a foreign power.  So tell me, who civilized and who is the jackazz?

FM
Originally Posted by baseman:

The clueless and incompetent PNC/AFC Govt will be led by their noses.  Imagine, when did you see a foreign power demanding the development of a project that a sitting Govt shelved.  If this does not reflect incompetence of the highest order, then what.  Burnham project got killed by foreign powers, PPP project got killed by domestic politics, just to be put back on track by a foreign power.  So tell me, who civilized and who is the jackazz?

AFC/PNC are a bunch of clueless Jackasses.

FM
Originally Posted by Nehru:

THE SHIT HEADS CALLED PNC AND THE TWO NEE MACK NEE MAKARAM HOUSE SLAVES WERE HOLLERING THIS PROJECT IS NOT GOOD FOR GUYANA, DAT DEM KILL THE PROJECT AT ALL COST. NOW THE PROJECT IS VIABLE. THESE CLUELESS SHIT HEADS CANT RUN A BLOODY CAKE SHOP, HOW THE HELL THEY GUN RUN A COUNTRY!!!

Wonder AFC's Katty and her husband will take a slice again ? They want to double dip now.

FM
Originally Posted by asj:
Originally Posted by Bibi Haniffa:

Oh my.  The dirt always come out in the wash.  

Will not be surprised if they (PNC/AFC) hijack more of the PPP/C projects. Sheer pack of dunces in this Coalition Government.

Alyuh keching sense, but baseman held that position all along.  The PNC was just a bunch of old PNC guards wanting to resurrect the old order and the AFC was nothing more than a bunch of hateful PPP sour grapes augmented by a few grass-hoppers seeking intellectual relevance.

FM

BJ looking like a star now.  All his ideas are coming to fruition.  Let's hope they follow through and the Guyanese people benefit from the PPP conceived projects.  Saying you will do it and doing it are two different things. Let's see what happens.  This is why they were calling for unity talks.  Dem nah know what fuh do and how fuh do It.   PPP saw right through them.

Bibi Haniffa

Contrary to the claims made by the Guyana Times, Norway is not threatening Guyana to pursue Amilia. Norway wants to find out once and for all if it is feasible or not by letting independent advisers look at the project feasibility again. The PPP covered the whole thing in smoke and mirrors. So the Norwegians want to get to the bottom of the facts and fiction.

This project was originally proposed by the PNC decades ago. The PPP wanted to use it as a vehicle to embezzle the country. That much is already known.

Mr.T
Originally Posted by Bibi Haniffa:

Oh my.  The dirt always come out in the wash.  

His ideas, I though those were ideas developed by team called Government of Guyana.  Many of those thinkers are still in Government like Clyde Roopchand at State Planning.

 

Jagdehoe my ass.  The only scheme he can develop is how to pentrate Kwame.

FM
Originally Posted by KishanB:
Originally Posted by Bibi Haniffa:

Oh my.  The dirt always come out in the wash.  

His ideas, I though those were ideas developed by team called Government of Guyana.  Many of those thinkers are still in Government like Clyde Roopchand at State Planning.

 

Jagdehoe my ass.  The only scheme he can develop is how to pentrate Kwame.

Boy, you have some axe to grind with BJ.

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

Mitwah
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

Mits..check my post on Amilia click on link you can

download Guyana Times is blowing hot air.

Django
Last edited by Django
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

One can say Hydro was not LFSB either, it was a colonial-era idea.  LFSB was driven by Aluminium while the PPP was broad-based sustainable development.  Anyway, does not matter, it will be Amelia, the project rejected by the current jokers!

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

One can say Hydro was not LFSB either, it was a colonial-era idea.  LFSB was driven by Aluminium while the PPP was broad-based sustainable development.  Anyway, does not matter, it will be Amelia, the project rejected by the current jokers!

The Project was never rejected by APNU+AFC. Prove it. The project in its original PPP/C form was filled with flaws. The current regime sought a second opinion. Millions of scarce US dollars lost to PPP/C point man FIP.

Mitwah
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

One can say Hydro was not LFSB either, it was a colonial-era idea.  LFSB was driven by Aluminium while the PPP was broad-based sustainable development.  Anyway, does not matter, it will be Amelia, the project rejected by the current jokers!

The Project was never rejected by APNU+AFC. Prove it. The project in its original PPP/C form was filled with flaws. The current regime sought a second opinion. Millions of scarce US dollars lost to PPP/C point man FIP.

Now alyuh shame face twisting alyuh mouth.  The current Admin recently cancelled the project, now Norway show them who is the boss.
  Shame Shame, Shame 

FM
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

One can say Hydro was not LFSB either, it was a colonial-era idea.  LFSB was driven by Aluminium while the PPP was broad-based sustainable development.  Anyway, does not matter, it will be Amelia, the project rejected by the current jokers!

The Project was never rejected by APNU+AFC. Prove it. The project in its original PPP/C form was filled with flaws. The current regime sought a second opinion. Millions of scarce US dollars lost to PPP/C point man FIP.

  The current Admin recently cancelled the project,

You are a liar.

Mitwah

The bunch of crooks currently in office went to great lengths while in opposition with the 1 seat majority in parliament to kill this project. 

Recently Granger stated that he was vindicated for killing the project after meeting with the IDB.

 

Granger vindicated for scrapping Amaila after meeting IDB President

OCTOBER 3, 2015 | BY  | FILED UNDER NEWS 

The 165MW Hydro Electric Power Plant that was being pursued, as conceived by the previous administration at Amaila Falls, was not viable. The new administration has since been vindicated in its decision not to proceed with it.

This is according to Head of State, President David Granger, who yesterday provided an update following a meeting with Luis Alberto Moreno, the President of one of the key partners in the project, the Inter American Development Bank’s (IDB).

The project which saw an escalating price tag that almost reached US$1B was sidelined by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government, a decision President Granger said, is now being vindicated.

“The IDB spent millions of dollars investigating the possibility of having a hydro power project based on the Amaila Falls, I do not want to disclose the details of my conversation with President Moreno, but I can say that generally speaking, the Amaila Falls Project as conceived by the previous administration was not viable, it is not viable and we are unlikely to proceed with the falls in the form it was conceived and presented to us,” said President Granger.

He recalled that during the life of the 10th Parliament there was never a Bill that described or defined the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.

“Two measures came before the National Assembly, one concerned the debt ceiling and the other concerned the reservoir, the area that is likely to be flooded.”

He stressed that there was none in the 10th Parliament who was given a single document “stating what the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project’s capabilities were, apart from what we were told about building a road.”

The President said his team was never really able to determine viability of the project as a whole.

He told media operatives that APNU+AFC while in opposition pointed to the fact that the flow of water on the Kuribrong River needed to be considered in conjunction with the entire Potaro Basin.

This suggestion, he said, was aimed at looking to trap the water flows from several rivers.

“We have never seen the Kaieteur Falls bone dry but we have seen the Amaila Falls bone dry,” according to President Granger.

“We had a different concept; we want hydropower and I think the IDB is inclined to support hydropower but what was put before them is not viable,” said Granger.

He pointed out too, that the IDB conducted further investigations into the viability of the project and recalled too, that the APNU+AFC did engage with the IDB while in opposition.

The President did point out that during his meeting with Moreno over the course of the past week; they did not pursue discussions on the development of hydropower facilities either at Moco Moco or Tumatumari—two sites recently flagged by Government as possible locations for the development of smaller hydro power facilities.

According to President Granger, “There are about 100 sites in Guyana which can support hydroelectric generation and we intend to pursue hydroelectric generation.”

On the matter of the Amaila Falls Project, President Granger told media operatives, “everything about it appeared to us to be flawed and we feel vindicated in that we did not spend our good money, or we did not take loans which have to be paid back to develop that particular project.”

He is convinced that “sooner or later Guyana will have hydro power, whether it’s one project or several small projects, this is still to be decided.”

According to President Granger, the Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, is engaged in investigating not just hydro power potential, “but also other forms of renewable energy particularly solar energy and wind.”

He disclosed too that during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, the Council of Ministers did address the concept of wind and solar farms.

“Not one-one panels, but farms which can generate (electrical) power for whole communities.”

Asked to specify whether the project being deemed not viable was a position of the IDB, Granger told media operatives: “I don’t want to speak for the IDB, but as I said the IDB spent millions of dollars investigating this project.”

According to the President, the IDB “wanted it to work but at this point in time I do not feel that they are convinced that we should proceed with the project.”

FM

Speciality Hospital revived

The nation was greeted with extremely good news earlier this week when Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton disclosed Guyana will be proceeding with the construction of the all important Specialty Hospital. Many were shocked by this disclosure considering the position the APNU and AFC parties took while they were in Opposition as every effort was made to cripple the project.

It could be recalled the previous PPP/C Administration fought very hard for this project to become a reality, because they understood that while improving primary health care was necessary, at the same time, working towards advancing specialty care was very important, too. And the Administration at the time was very instrumental in getting the Indian Government to commit funding towards the project.

The construction of the Specialty Hospital was part of an agreement between the Governments of Guyana and India for Guyana to use US$18 million through a line of credit to build the hospital aimed at catering for complicated surgeries, ranging from heart operations, organ transplants to cosmetic surgeries. However, the then Opposition (APNU/AFC) did everything they could to bring the project to a halt, citing all manner of frivolous excuses as to why they could not offer their support.

Taking a cue from the Kaieteur News, the APNU/AFC started to raise a number of questions regarding the awarding of the contracts, costs, beneficiaries, etc. This was quite understandable as it is the duty of the Opposition to ensure tax payers’ money, whether it is from local or overseas sources, is spent with the strictest accountability and transparency. However, what we could not understand was why they took such a drastic step to completely cripple the project.

The subject minister at the time, Dr Bheri Ramsaran had gone at length to provide the necessary clarifications to questions raised during the budget debates. But APNU and AFC MPs were still not satisfied. Whatever the case was, most of us were convinced the APNU/AFC’s non-support of the project was based on pure politics and not a “lack of information” as is now being claimed by the Minister of Health. The bottom line is that the project, because of its national importance and what it means for ordinary citizens, should not have been stopped in the first place. In reality the project would have been far advanced by now. That said, we are very pleased the project will come to fruition.

According to a report in another section of the media, Government will be proceeding with the construction of the Specialty Hospital under a new agreement with India. The new arrangement would see unused funds from the original deal being channelled towards the upgrade of three of the country’s regional hospitals, while a new pact will be negotiated for the completion of the Specialty Hospital.

This newspaper has always been in support of a Specialty Hospital being constructed here to serve the needs of citizens who in the normal circumstances would not be able to afford going abroad for special care. In fact many patients end up dying as a result of them not being able to access such treatment because of the lack of facility and the fact that they cannot afford to pay for such treatment at private institutions. Also, we had mentioned before that Guyana could generate much needed revenue from such a venture if persons abroad come here to access such treatment.

In every part of the world, the right to proper, competent and modern medical care is regarded as a basic human right. Therefore, stakeholders ought to encourage, support, and even pressure the authorities to ensure such facilities are available in the country at an affordable cost. We are confident that once the Specialty Hospital becomes a reality, every single Guyanese who, at some point of time in their life, would require the type of medical procedure and attention that such hospital is intended to provide.

The Administration should therefore move with haste and conclude the necessary negotiations with the Indian Government so that works could commence soon.

FM
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

The Amelia falls project is.  Burnham was a failure. The PNC never did anything for Guyana unless the idea comes from the PPP

The fumes coming from your mouth is polluting the atmosphere.

R
Originally Posted by Ramakant-P:
Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Within a year from now the current government will adopt all of the PPP/C proposals.

Hydropower is not the brainchild of Jagdeo. You were part of that idea during Burnham time. It pre dates Jagdeo.

The Amelia falls project is.  Burnham was a failure. The PNC never did anything for Guyana unless the idea comes from the PPP

The fumes coming from your mouth is polluting the atmosphere.

I have to forgive you. You are all boozed up. That's what's talking. If I insult you, you would not even understand anyway.

Mitwah

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