World renowned scientist calls for full disclosure on Amaila

Aug 15, 2013 News

…wants President to set up task force to create national energy policy

World renowned scientist, Professor Suresh Narine, has called on Head of State Donald Ramotar to urgently convene a non-partisan Presidential Task Force to come up with an energy policy for Guyana.
He said that there should also be a public two-day forum set up where the populace can be adequately briefed, and discuss the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project.

Professor Suresh Narine

Dr Narine was at the time presenting the findings of a working group on energy development in Guyana to the National Economic Forum held at the Guyana International Conference Centre yesterday.
He said that the energy policy is critical, given that 94 per cent of Guyana’s energy is imported, coupled with the national fallout over the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project along with the fact that oil prices are projected to increase to prohibitive heights in the future.
He stated that expensive energy is the single largest hindrance to Guyana’s development.
Guyana uses primarily Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and Diesel for the generation of its electric energy and according to Dr Narine, with the US moving towards using oil from shale, it is decommissioning more and more traditional oil refineries.
This, he said, will inherently drive up the cost of fuel for countries such as Guyana.
He pointed also to the fact that the Petro Caribe initiative, which the Caribbean and Guyana depend heavily on, is now also in question.
According to Dr Narine, the price of oil on the international market will soon become a matter of security.
“What we have in Guyana is an opportunity with hydro…We simply can’t keep doing things the way we do,” Professor Narine said.
He posited that the future for Guyana is bleak should the production of energy not be addressed.
According to Professor Narine, should government be forced to continue to hand over billions each year to the Guyana Power and Light in subsidy, is “simply madness.”
He said too that even food production is linked to energy and added that even though Guyana has been long recognized for its agricultural potential, this would never be realized given that value added products require cheaper energy.
Affordable and sustainable energy, according to Dr Narine, requires policy and political will hence it is imperative for the government to have a national policy in place.
He urged that there should not be a repeat of the debacle over the past month over the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project.
He suggested that while wind, solar and bio mass are all added options for the generation of cheaper energy, they would not be able to deliver the levels of energy required and while they can supplement, hydro power should be pursued.
Professor Narine stressed that the development of hydro power in Guyana makes sense, given the lucrative returns.
“Guyana can’t afford to lose this opportunity.”
According to Professor Narine, what has been playing out in the media over the past month regarding the project would leave even a technically proficient person confused hence the suggestion to convene a two-day symposium where all of the details on the project can be presented to the public.
This he said must be done to adequately address the financing of the project and aspects such as political risk among other facets.
“If we have an educated public, politicians will listen,” Professor Narine declared.