THE parliamentary Opposition last Thursday evening voted down a Bill to amend the Hydro-Electric Act. The Bill confers on the President, the power to create hydro-electric offset reserve areas and rules for the establishment of the said areas, and for the conservation and preservation of the environment and ecosystem surrounding the hydro-electric resources in Guyana.

This Bill increases the penalty for the breach of regulations made under the principal Act to $1M.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, who tabled the Bill, lamented the Opposition’s refusal to even speak on such an important matter. He reminded the House that it will take another five to ten years to attract such an investment to Guyana again.
Making reference to former presidents Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, the Prime Minister said, “We have an opportunity to realise the dreams of our leaders.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud said the merits of having hydro power are indisputable and the challenges of developing it have been comprehensively addressed.
He questioned why it is that when the country is now closer than ever to realising this dream, that there is failure to reach some level of consensus. He explained that one of the main barriers preventing local industries from moving towards value-added is the cost of reliable electricity.
He maintained that reliable electricity supply will never be a reality if the country continues to rely solely on fossil fuel.
“Guyana needs hydropower to move to a higher plane of development and progress…people would be disappointed with the debate on whether or not hydroelectricity should have widespread support…the nation’s interest should be paramount,” Minister Persaud said.
From the inception, the Government has made clear its intention to develop a hydro power facility in Guyana and is committed to doing all that is necessary to achieve this notwithstanding the Opposition’s non-support.
Minister Persaud said the Administration will not be daunted by the House’s failure to pass the amendments. He added that, “We will continue to steer the course towards the construction of a hydropower facility in Guyana…it should be seen as a national imperative.”
The proposed amendments will ensure that the country is compliant with its international partners and stay true to its national commitment particularly as it relates to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
These amendments, the minister said, are not political in nature and as such, should not be viewed as a matter of contention.
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn reiterated that the missing equation in Guyana’s development is the availability of cheap, reliable power. He lamented that the Parliament’s position on this project will send a signal to the international community that will inflict serious damage to the country’s credibility.
“I am prepared to beg…this should be seen as national interest, not political interest…we are strangulating the development of our country in Parliament; we are not making a clear, dispassionate choice to develop our country, Minister Benn stated.
Despite the pleadings of members on the Government side, the APNU and AFC used their one-seat majority to vote against the passage of the Bill.
Since 1993, improving the supply of electricity has been a major priority in the PPP/C government’s national development plans, with billions being spent to improve and expand the electricity sector.
The Amaila Falls hydropower project will convert Guyana’s energy supply, from one that is almost entirely sourced from fossil fuels to one that is almost entirely renewable.
The US$840M Hydro Electric Plant involves the construction of a hydropower plant in the area of west-central Guyana, where the Amaila and Kuribrong rivers meet. Guyana would be paying an average of US$100 million per annum over a 20-year period, after which the country will have complete ownership of the project.
Electricity produced at the plant will be delivered to Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and its second largest town, Linden, by a transmission line. The project, once completed, will result in significant foreign exchange savings and a regular supply of inexpensive, reliable electricity for Guyanese.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh said that this injury inflicted on the people of Guyana is a grave injustice committed by the AFC and APNU. He described the Opposition’s non-approval of the Bill as a “retaliatory vote”.
“This was done in retaliation for the failed attempt by the Opposition to derail and disrupt the time-honoured tradition of adherence to the Standing Orders, particularly as it relates to the allocation of time slots for the consideration of Government’s business on the order paper. A simple matter such as this resulted in the unleashing of a retaliatory vote on the people of Guyana,” the Minister said. (GINA)