$12M gen set commissioned by APNU/AFC non-functional

Last year, top officials of A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), including then Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, cut ribbons and handed over a $12 million generator set to the Region One village of Waramuri.
Fast forward to October 2020, and not only is that generator set not working, but additional work has to be done on it by regional authorities. This was revealed by Region One Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley.
“The former administration would have hastily (gone) (ahead) and commissioned a gen set in the village of Waramuri that was never operationalised. We are working right now to ensure that the wiring and installations are done, so that that village can also benefit from electricity supply,” Ashley explained.
“The plan of the RDC is to bring electricity to every resident, and to bring it (for) 24 hours. The village of Manawarin will now have an electricity grid before the end of the year,” Ashley explained in regard to another Region One village.
It was announced by the state media on November 19, 2019 that the generator set, which was supposed to provide power to 350 residents of Waramuri, was officially handed over and commissioned by Trotman.
The electrical system was supposed to supply power to the school in the village, as well as the health facility and Police station, while also providing power to the light-emitting diode (LED) lights that were installed in the sub-district.
“We have a President and a Cabinet who want to make a difference in your life,” Trotman was quoted by state media as telling residents at the commissioning ceremony.
The issue is reminiscent of the $227 million Mabaruma Solar Farm in Region One, which was supposed to be commissioned since 2018 as part of the Hinterland Electrification Project. The 400-kilowatt farm was designed and constructed by German company Meeco Group.
Work on the project was supposed to be completed by 2018, but, over the years, the project has been hampered by vandalism, non-delivery of items, and faulty construction, which contributed to the project being damaged by a lightning strike.