…on the energy front
The PNC’s a party of grandiose plans, but it has never been able to bring them to fruition, because it’s comprised of “men of words”, rather than “men of action”. Remember Burnham’s oath to “feed, house and clothe the nation”? If you’re over fifty, you certainly couldn’t possibly have forgotten, since the slogan was painted on any surface that didn’t move, and gave you nightmares as you became hungry, homeless and naked!!
The PNC’s manifesto in 2015 boasted ostentatiously about launching our (colonial) retarded industrialisation and boosting our manufacturing sector. That, of course, was a no-brainer for a country that had remained stuck as a primary producer of commodities – where we were price-takers rather than price-setters. The question was: what did they do about it? Zilch, that’s what!! Cause ever since independence, the greatest constraint to our industrialisation was the astronomical cost of electricity. Forced to import expensive diesel and other heavy oils to run our generating plants – and suffering over 35% in transmission losses – electricity cost to businesses was over US$.26/kWh. Compared to US$.07/kWh in TT, you can maybe begin to appreciate why most of our light manufacturing goods come from there.
The PPP had attempted to address the power generation conundrum as far back as in 2009 when they embarked on the Amalia Falls HydroElectric Project (AFHEP). The road to the location, the financing, the contractor, and all other requirements for the 165-MW project had been put in place when the PNC and AFC torpedoed it by withholding parliamentary approval. The independent Norway Study had declared the project as the best option for a green Guyana. Yet, during 2015-2020, the PNC just sat on its haunches when it came to the matter of lowering energy costs.
Well, not surprisingly, the PPP have hit the ground running in this critical area; after all, they’re men of action, and not men of words! With associated gas from oil extraction available, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that the gas can be brought ashore to generate power. Even the PNC had “TALKED” about it!! Didn’t next door Trinidad build a gas-fired 750MW facility that is supplying their cheap electricity?
But as soon as the Government announced the plan to situate the facility at Wales – site of abandoned sugar factory – there were howls of protest! Why? That the Govt should conduct EIAs and other geotechnical and geophysical surveys! Well, nothing wrong with that, since these are maters that would affect our national well-being.
But it does seem that some of the frontliners are very selective in their protests. Wasn’t the PNC’s attempted election heist worthy of protest?
So, don’t expect the VP’s assurances would quiet them!
…or reversing race relations?
After years of muddling along and doing absolutely NOTHING about fulfilling their 24-point mandate to ensure harmonious race relations in our country, the ERC seem to be frantically trying to justify their QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS’ ANNUAL BUDGET!! So, after all (racial) hell broke loose over social media following the PNC’s attempted elections heist, the ERC hauled in a handful of transgressors and had them utter “apologies”. As if that changed anything.
After the Sanctimonious Gangster and his sidekick Harmon incited crowds in W. Berbice following the Henrys’ murder, you’d think the ERC would’ve hauled them in in accordance with mandate #16- “Investigate on its own accord…any issues affecting ethnic relations.” Or #23- “Make recommendations on penalties…to be imposed for any breach of provisions of this Constitution or of any law dealing with ethnicity.” Inciting racial riots violate the Constitution!
But no! They’re now excluding the Muslim and Indian reps from participating in decisions to investigate (or not) a social media call for “civil war”!
What a waste!
…on being shafted
Much of the intimate partner domestic violence involves cheating husbands. Well, we should follow North Carolina, If a woman’s husband cuckolds her, she can sue the outside woman for “alienation of affection”.
It’s Common Law!
