Essequibo experiencing frequent blackouts
STABROEK NEWS, NOVEMBER 29 --- It seems like Essquibians are in a long haul, because as I predicted earlier in the year, we have been experiencing power outages every day and night since the beginning of November. Some of these blackouts last for more than four hours, and they suddenly go on and off which is damaging our electrical appliances.
The Christmas season is here and we have to brace ourselves for blackout holidays. We are tired and fed up with this situation and we are praying for the day when things will get better in this region and the country as a whole. Our business is on the brink of being ruined; our children cannot study at night; we cannot get to do business where the business sector is computerized. When the power is off we feel it everywhere.
Most businessmen who borrowed money from the banks to stock their stores for the Christmas holidays will find it extremely hard to repay their loan if this blackout continues. Many business people at present are afraid that the bank will foreclose on their assets. Things have never been as bad as when these frequent blackouts started. Some people cannot put food on their tables; they are bankrupt because of not getting to do business.
People who live in the outlying areas like Charity, Lima Sands, and Supenaam, etc, travel some 20 miles to pay their bills at Anna Regina and do business at the various banks, only to be told that there is a blackout and the computers cannot work, and there are no guarantees when the power will be restored. Many of them who have to buy food and pay taxi fares become frustrated when they have to come back another day.
These widespread power outages this year reflect the inadequacy of Guyana’s infrastructure and have a negative impact on economic activity. Power failures inhibit growth by discouraging investment and impeding productivity in the region. The power disruptions have already depressed businessmen along with the government inability to implement measures to revive the two Wartsila generating sets.
An unreliable power supply limits the private sector competitiveness in any country and further, the short supply of power raises the relative costs of doing business.
[by Mohamed Khan]