THE Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) has described as “profoundly irresponsible” the continued resistance of the combined Opposition to the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project (AFHP).

In a release issued yesterday, the PYO said the Opposition parties are obviously not interested in economic development and wealth generation for Guyanese; and moreover, one opposition party seems to want a return to the colonial days, as it has publicly stated that it will only assent to the AFHP if foreign entities give them the nod.
The PYO related that President Donald Ramotar has been extremely accommodating to the Opposition, placing at their disposal all aspects of the AFHP, as well as first-hand experience of work on the ground. This gesture of goodwill, the PYO said, has been unfortunately met with disingenuous demands for the violation of the constitution.
“There are enough lawyers on the Opposition benches to realize that the Opposition knows that their demands cannot be fulfilled. It therefore can only lead to the conclusion that the Opposition is trying to find an excuse to halt the progress of Guyana’s economy,” the PYO release stated, contending that even more concerns have been raised at the recently concluded investment seminar by the silence of the American and Canadian governments on the importance of cheap electricity.
The PYO release noted that the focus of the American and Canadian governments was instead on the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report released by the Americans; and that the American ambassador has stated that Thailand, which is placed on America’s Tier 2 watch list, still attracts investment opportunities. However, he failed to state that the cost of power in Thailand, which extensively uses coal, is much lower than in Guyana.
“It is widely acknowledged that low cost of electricity to industries is what drives economic growth. Yet, at the just-concluded investment seminar, the focus of the US and Canada was on TIP, and not on the real problem — cost of electricity,” the release stated.
Moreover, the fact that the Americans and Canadians even claimed that Thailand still attracts much investment despite its low ratings on TIP renders rather moot their argument that rankings on TIP is important to investment.
The PYO release additionally pointed out that it is estimated that some 70 percent of male tourists who visit Thailand go there for “sex tourism”, the dark side of tourism that mostly benefits from Trafficking in Persons.
The PYO is calling on organisations, civil society and the private sector to stand up and demand that the Amaila Falls Hydro Project be completed, because only through the lowering of the cost of electricity generation and easing Guyana’s reliance on foreign fossil fuel can the country be pushed out of its dependence on the primary sector.
“If our young people want better paying jobs, better career opportunities and wealth, there needs to be a radical change in the economy. We have to move from simple agriculture and the mining sector to manufacturing, production and services; but these industries can only operate under conditions where electricity costs are low,” the PYO release stated.
The PYO reiterated that the Opposition parties’ continued refusal to support the AFHP shows either a complete lack of understanding on the requirements for continued economic development, or a willingness to stymie growth for partisan gains.
“Whatever the reason, it shows that they are unfit to govern our nation, as their entire demeanour is one of eternal negativity,” the release concluded.