A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is not taking the blame for the death of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.
At a press conference this morning, APNU’s Leader David Granger in response to a question stated, “it’s impossible to say we killed the project…we don’t know what organization is going to be running it…”
The main investor– Sithe Global – pulled out of the project, citing a lack of parliamentary consensus on the part of the APNU, which did not extend itsupport.
However, according to Mr. Granger, the APNU’s decision not to support it was not a hasty one, and was arrived at after lengthy discussions with his shadow cabinet.
Mr. Granger explained that on the day Sithe Global withdrew from the project, he met with United States Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt and he told him of APNU’s position.
“I told him that A Partnership for National Unity has certain institutions and procedures and these matters were not arrived at lightly, they were discussed thoroughly by our shadow cabinet, they were discussed within our parliamentary group, it was discussed within the executive committee of the partnership and when we came to those conclusions, it was based on advise, based on paper study that were conducted over a period of time. It wasn’t a hasty decision; it wasn’t vindictive or full of revenge,” Mr. Granger told reporters.
The APNU Leader reiterated that the biggest problem the party has with the project is the lack of any project document.
“Up to August 10 when we went into recess, the executive branch had not yet presented a comprehensive project document to the National Assembly. We really had nothing to vote against,” Mr. Granger said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Granger said that the APNU supports hydropower development in Guyana. Earlier this week, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon revealed that the project is dead, while the Alliance for Change (AFC) believes that there is still hope left for its revival.
