[www.inewsguyana.com] – Finance Minister, Winston Jordan has revealed that the spotlight is once more being place on the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, as a study to determine its viability is being conducted.
This is after Jordan in Parliament earlier this year stated that the Government would not be pursuing the project since it “would be criminal” to do so. At a Guyana Manufacturers Association (GMSA) event on Wednesday, November 18, the Finance Minister revealed that the Government is keen on clean energy and Amaila Falls was once again on the radar with some keen interest from Norway.
“I wish to announce that the government is in discussions with Norway to procure yet another review of this project. Norway seems keen to finance an independent review to, once and for all, pronounce on the viability or non-viability of the project,” he stated.
In his 2015 budget presentation in the National Assembly on August 10, Jordan said that it is not only irresponsible, but “a downright criminal act of deception were we to proceed with Amaila Falls.”
He told the House that investigations conducted by the new government revealed that the Guyana Power and Light Company would be required to make annual payments amounting to US$130M to the operators of the facility.
This he said will total US$2.6B over the 20 year period, according to the power purchase agreement and does not include Guyana’s contribution of at least US$160M comprising $45M for road, $80M through equity and $US45M that will have to be taken from the Inter -American Development Bank (IDB).
“It will be delusional to suggest that GPL has the competence to handle such a financial burden. The GPL is known to have a poor operational, financial and technical capability. The Company suffers from a high energy and technical losses…it would require not only tariff increases but guarantees that taxpayers, through the treasury will have to provide to meet its obligations,” Jordan told the National Assembly.
Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo told a news conference on August 11 that those examining the project are clueless.
“I believe that they are duping President Granger; I believe that they are duping him because you have a few people who have been examining the project economics that are clueless…you don’t have to be an economist to understand what this project means to Guyana and what we will lose if we don’t proceed with it,” Jagdeo had said.
Apnu !!!!?Unrealistic daylight copy cat with brain deficiency nationally condemns then shamelessly grab at a project they wanted to destroy.How many will be fooled and brainwashed? Not too many anymore since once bitten twice shy.
I sadly watch their supporters stand behind them like a lawyer defending his client fully aware he is guilty of the crime.Time is the answer.
well said Eddie….they for got all about the corruption
This is how bias you jack-asses are,INEWS.Praise the former government,and it`s okay with you hypocrites.
What makes your crapnu and AFC defacto government creme de crop of transparency and accountability? Their tenure of rule of this country started with a lie, is farcical and not the will of the Guyanese populace. It has started in corruption with the assistance of the abc countries at the ballot boxes!!
ahhhh…cut the crap Mervin…your gov’t has no vision..this project is Jagdeo baby
Any thing that will bring huge benefits to the Guyanese economy and people generally, was shut down by the APNU/AFC opposition. Immediately on assuming office,they carried on with the same political spite and economic myopia.WHY? Simple!!!! these projects- Specialty Hospital, Amaila Hydro Project- were/are associated with the PPPC administration. Now they have seen the light, these two economically viable projects are back on the front burner. They are making all manner of excuses and allegations of the studies done before and want to ”review to, once and for all, pronounce on the viability or non-viability of the project,” These are just excuses to save face and a smoke screen to fool the populace.
This administration is ”like a painted ship on a painted ocean”, rudderless. They have no sense of direction of where and how to take the country forward.
The Finance Minister is like a girl ‘cutting styles’ before saying ‘yes’ to a boy she really likes .
Vomit and eat it back. That what Jordan is good for
Fault the guy for his mistake, but admit he was not misappropriating public funds like the other Fine Ants Minister.
Further, the guy said the Amalia project was ‘criminal’ if it were to be pursued in the manner laid out by the PPP regime, especially with the minority investors becoming majority stakeholders, a la Berbice Bridge and the Marriott.
As for the Specialty Hospital, are you aware the corrupt PPP regime was trying to sue the Indian company, Surendra, for taking advanced money to build the hospital and skipping the country? Almost every single project the PPP pursued was tainted with corruption, but you guys refuse to address them.
This De Facto Coalition cannot get their act together. While in opposition they apposed anything that was proposed by the PPP/C. Now that they are in Government they are executing these same projects started under the PPP/C. Can’t these idiots get their act together for once????????
Amalia Fall hydro, like the Specialty Hospital, was a useful project until it became clear it was mired in corruption. That’s where the problem arose. How do you explain Amalia going from an estimated US$450M toUS $800M without a brick being laid, or Jagdeo awarding Fip Motilall US $14M to build the Amalia access road even though Motilall never built a driveway or sidewalk?
Amalia Fall belongs to Guyanese and not Jagdeo or the PPP, so if it will be developed into an energy producer, let it be done by those who adhere to transparency and accountability. This excludes Jagdeo and the PPP, so let’s have a genuine feasibility study if Norway will pay for it as a precursor to international financing of a hydro project.
FAIRY LIGHTS: Spotlight back on Amalia Falls
De fine ants man should beg Glen Lall to take more pics of the dried up falls since the fine ants man said its criminal to talk about Amaila Falls..who is de criminal now?
OMG! this guy had the external debt at a higher figure until he was corrected by the ex minister is this the changes that was voted for after assailing this project and the specialty hospital only to turn around and pursue it when this government going to be original
A vex, less money for the boys. Nice clothes, nice food, plenty girls/boys, the good life. Anyone remember what Burnham breakfast was like? Well thats the good life the Brig talking about. If Amalia is feasible then all that money will not benefit the boys only the tax payers. In the scientific sense expressions on this topic by the Honorable gentleman is a clear demonstration of his inherent “immediate gratification syndrome”. Those are contained in the strands of his DNA and cannot be cured.
What a turn around! Guyana will win that the bottom line!
These are Ministers of many faces,having no clue as to how a country is run,how many times this idiot have put his foot in his mouth since becoming finance minister,starting with an empty treasury,we are in for some hard times.