Let’s cut our losses, bury the hatchet and go back to the drawing board

Aug 12, 2013 Letters

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Dear Editor,
At this juncture in time, when the Amaila Falls Hydro Project seems to have reached at state akin to” Arrested Development” I can’t help but wonder about the future of this project and further; the broader implications for large scale development in my homeland as a whole.
I read earlier today (Sat. 10th August) a report stating the possibility that the Sithe Global Group has already pulled out, with their position to be made known on Sunday 11th August, a move no doubt meant to ensure that their message reaches the widest newspaper readership possible.
Within the last two weeks and at this late stage everyone pro Amaila scurried to extol the value and importance of this project, but the facts are; Guyanese are wary of everything being foisted upon them, we are tired of being taken for granted, we are tired of bearing the brunt of the mistakes made by the people we elect to serve. In short; we fed up.
Why must Guyanese accept blindly what is being presented to us now, when so many mistakes, so many missteps have already been made with this project. The details of this project were at first shrouded in secrecy, much like the rituals of a Masonic Lodge are. The road contract was given to someone with no road building experience.
Why must we accept that this project in its present configuration will be what is best for Guyana and all Guyanese when the integrity of the process has already seriously undermined the integrity of the product. It is my firm belief that we can do better, and we must do better. Let’s cut our losses, bury the hatchet, go back to the drawing board, consult relevant stake holders, before as opposed to after and come up with a simple concise plan.
Make no mistake fellow Guyanese this latest posturing can be compared to a battleship’s Klaxon sounding general quarters, and if left to their own devices the pro Amaila group will further attempt to “Wag the Dog” and wage a fictitious war to divert attention from the facts.
There was a time when we the ordinary folk would just rely on the opinions and considered judgment of a few to determine the outcome of many. The information age has changed this; the internet abounds with data on any subject more so; it is readily available to be researched by anyone.
One such source of information is The World Commission of Dams (WCD) report released in November 2000. This report should be required reading for anyone associated with the Amaila project. This report titled “Dams and Development   a new framework for decision making” states
The WCD recognises the following steps for decision makers considering dam construction:
· First assess the real needs
· Review and select from a number of alternatives
· Where a dam project emerges as the preferred development option, then:
· Ensure that all agreements are clearly formulated before tendering
· Ensure that the project is compliant in all respects before commissioning
· Monitor dam operations to take account of changes in the context.
The WCD’s main recommendations also relate strategic priorities (chapter 8) for decision making and include:
· The need for clear public acceptance, including the provision of reliable information to enable stakeholders to make informed decisions and participate effectively in decision making. With regard to indigenous people, this must include prior informed consent.
· A comprehensive assessment of all the options ensuring, in particular, that social and environmental aspects are giving equal weight alongside technical factors.
· A post project review of existing dams, both from a technical and social point of view.
· The development of a basin wide understanding of the aquatic ecosystem and of ways of maintaining it.
· The recognition that the benefits of dams should be widely shared.
· Checks and balances to ensure that at all stages and procedures comply with agreed standards.
· Special reference to cross border impacts.
The WCD also provides a set of 26 guidelines on how to assess options and implement dam projects in a way that meets the Commission’s criteria.
Additionally, the International Hydropower Association (IHA) accepts the WCD core values and strategic  priorities, even though it disagrees with some of the detailed recommendations. The IHA also has a Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol which was released in 2010 and can be downloaded from their website.
The fact is; the Amaila Falls Hydro Project is and will by no means be cutting edge, so why should we reinvent the wheel, there are many guidelines, documented operation procedure, past projects and experiences to glean information from.
I think I can safely say that the one condition that all Guyanese desire of this project is that we do it the right way. The ambiguity still associated with this project does not afford the opportunity to clearly discern much less be convinced that we are doing it right. The current work without a doubt shows that there is much room for improvement.
This our most ambitious development project ever has sadly started on the wrong foot. Let us all strive to reverse this wrong step, let us strive to make the Amaila Falls Hydro Project one that all Guyanese now and for generations to come can say “yes; we got it right”.
Please let’s for once try to involve all relevant stake holders, let’s try to do this truly as One People, One Nation, One Destiny.
Gregory Rickford

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