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Govt. to meet affected hinterland residents tomorrow

Apr 11, 2010 News

As government steams ahead with plans for Guyana’s first ever hydroelectric project, the National Toshaos Council said that it is in full support.
On Monday, officials are expected to meet with interior residents and concession holders whose land will be affected to work out solutions.
On Friday, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, said that he has been advised by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) that proposed road and transmission lines will be passing through a number of existing forestry concessions.
Whilst the environmental damage is expected to be minimal, the Minister said, in the spirit of transparency and full disclosure, the GFC has invited all parties that would be affected directly, to a meeting on Monday (tomorrow).
“The purpose of this engagement will be to arrive at practical solutions that will see the interests of all being accommodated.”
During a UN-hosted forestry workshop on Friday at the GFC, Chairperson for the National Toshaos Council, Yvonne Pearson, said that hinterland residents are excited by the project.
The Amaila Falls hydroelectric project is estimated to cost between US$500-US$600 million with Synergy Holdings, a US company, overseeing the project.
Synergy in a recent statement said that project is a private development that will see the company and its partners coming up with the money.
“This is a privately funded project with GPL purchasing the power. The cost of the power from Amaila to GPL is going to be less than 50% of what it costs to produce with fossil fuels. And in 20 years this project gets turned over to Guyana…”
Synergy said that it has already spent US$1M of its own money in developmental works.
Synergy also revealed that it is in the final stages of financial closure with the IDB and other multilaterals.
Amaila Falls, according to Synergy’s spokesperson, Makeshwar Fip Motilall, will guarantee Guyanese cheaper and more reliable power, far into the future.
“In fact, the construction of the project has already started with this access road as the construction time for the total project is 48 months, which includes 8 months for the access road, so in actuality, we will be able to bring in the hydro in 48 months from today or 40 months from completion of the road.”
Synergy said that the deal is a very complex one.
The Amaila site is located on the Kuribrong River, a tributary of the Potaro River in Region Eight.
Following a series of meetings with Government, an MOU was signed between the developers and the Guyana government on May 23rd, 2006, outlining their agreement to proceed with the development of the project.

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