Uncle Freddie’s melting ice cream

Sep 25, 2008 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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I am worried about Uncle Freddie’s ice cream. During Carifesta he indicated that because of power failures he was forced to stop stacking up on this delicacy.

I empathise with the professor. He has the luxury of being able to afford ice cream. I am more worried about the vegetables and poultry in my freezer since it seems that blackouts have returned, especially during peak hours.

Those who have lived long enough in Guyana know when something is not right. The recent spate of blackouts and their timing has led to belief among some of my friends that an electricity crisis is looming.

I hope that I am wrong. I wish it turns out to be just a technical problem but the consistency and widespread nature of the blackouts, as well as the fact that it also coincides with peak hour consumption, has led me to suspect that there is shortfall between what is being generated and what is being demanded, leading ultimately to the blackouts.

We know that the Guyana Power and Light had problems in the past with their fuel supplies. This eventually led to the firing of the Guyana Energy Authority and the removal of the power utility’s Chairman.

I just hope that we are not in the throes of another fuel shortage and that my worse fears will not be realised. I, however, feel that despite the climb in fuel prices globally, Guyana had not taken sufficient enough measures to curb the consumption of electricity.

In fact, we seem to be moving towards increasing consumption judging from all the developments within society. The government even went as far as boasting that unlike the PNC which when faced with the fuel crisis in the seventies intrigued severe austerity measures, this was not necessary at this time because of the response by the government to the situation.

Let us hope that the government does not have to eat its own words. Let us hope that what we are presently experiencing is just a technical problem which will soon be rectified.

I am therefore calling on the Guyana Power and Light to explain the recent spate of blackouts. I believe that if there is need to introduce blackouts the public should be told so that they can make arrangements to avoid the spoilage of food.

I also believe that if a blackout is unscheduled, then the public is entitled to know why there was a blackout and what action is being taken. This of course is basic courtesy.

I have always found that the Guyanese people are very understanding of problems and therefore the power company should take the public into its confidence and explain each and every power interruption.
This is what makes for good public relations.

No one in Guyana expects that we will not have problems with our electricity grid. However, everyone is entitled as paying consumers to that basic courtesy of an explanation. Even if the problem cannot be immediately fixed, the Guyanese public will understand the problem if it is leveled with.

I also wish the Guyana Power and Light do something about electricity theft in Guyana as well as ensure that all citizens in Guyana pay a fair rate for electricity.

We have in Guyana a situation where some communities are enjoying cheap power while the bulk of the population is paying extremely high rates. This surely needs to be balanced.

Finally, I am asking for the government not to enter into any deal for the development of the Amaila Falls Project or for the rehabilitation of the Moco Moco Hydroelectric facility until there has been a full debate and consultations with the Guyanese people.

After what happened with a recent investment deal in Guyana, I have absolutely no confidence in the government obtaining the best deal for our country without the input of the Guyanese people. I was greatly disturbed to learn that a Brazilian group is offering to rehabilitate the Moco Moco Falls and to supply electricity at US 0.10 per Kwh.

I believe that price is far too high and I do not believe we should be negotiating for the purchase of power from this, and also from the Amaila Falls project, based on the existing price of fuel.

I believe that we should operate from the premise that hydroelectricity is cheap and that it should be cheap enough to allow our industries to be competitive. Our industries cannot be competitive unless we have prices that match those of Trinidad.

I am therefore suggesting that a national negotiating committee be established to advise the government on the best possible options, but that before this is done, a public consultation with critical stakeholders be held.

After all, if we could have had a consultation on the EPA which we will end up signing in any event despite all the bravado, why should we not have a consultation on electricity which our children will come to rely on?
Who knows, if we get the best possible deal, Uncle Freddie can stock up once again on his ice cream.

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