…on Amaila
Either David Patterson’s suffering from incipient senility or he thinks Guyanese are stupid and don’t remember the facts of the Norconsult Report on Amaila Falls. With the crux of the statement being: “It is the view of the Government that the Norconsult … provides supporting evidence that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project would not be optimal in its current model and presents an unbalanced risk to the Government and People of Guyana,” even the Govt-friendly Muckraker summarised it thusly: “Norway team shoots down Amaila Falls hydro project”.
But as Guyanese could read for themselves – since the report was posted on the Internet by Norconsult – it said noting of the sort, and in fact, asserted the opposite. It succinctly noted: “The only realistic path for Guyana towards an emission-free electricity sector is by developing its hydropower potential. The fastest way forward is to maintain AFHP as the first major step for substituting its current oil fired generation. AFHP … has a higher plant load factor than the alternatives, a smaller reservoir and a levelised unit cost in the same range as the most attractive alternatives.”!!!
How would Patterson get his size 12 foot out of his mouth? Well, he just attempted to do so, but only pushed it further in!! Patterson had the temerity to now say, “no one is questioning the viability of the project at Amaila”!!! Can you believe this drivel?? So exactly why reject the Norconsult Report? Here we go again: “The question of Norconsult was a question of what happens to the US$80M which the people of Guyana would’ve earned (from the forest protection deal with Norway) and which is still in an account from the IDB”!!!
Doesn’t this fella Patterson realise there’s always a paper trail on these matters? Earlier this year, Raphael Trotman had explicitly given the reason for the Norconsult investigation: “…the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet considered it the best option for an objective re-assessment (of AFHEP). This decision follows up on one taken by the country in Paris, France, in December 2015 to conduct a review of the project’s current financial model, which the Government believes could shackle many generations of Guyanese to debt.”
In case, Patterson had forgotten Trotman’s statement, on pg 10 of its Report, Norconsult had reminded him: “With the aim of possibly bringing the situation out of the current deadlock, GoG, represented by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Natural Resources, and the Government of Norway, represented by the Minister of Climate and Environment, decided at a meeting in Paris in December 2015 to perform “an objective and facts-based” assessment of Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.”
What to do with Patterson’s size 12?
…on silk
Oh, what a tangled web we weave…Or if you prefer the local idiom to the Bard’s – all smart flies do end in the bovine’s posterior orifice! (OK that’s NOT exactly the way it’s said…but your Eyewitness was reminded this is a family newspaper!) Claiming he wanted to rectify the long gap since the last appointments into the ranks of Senior Counsels, Prezzie just picked nine. And what a firestorm he’s unleashed!
One pointed question was why 92-year-old Llewelyn John ? He was passed over by Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte and Cheddi Jagan. Another even more pointed question was why a sitting Judge Roxane George, when that goes against the tradition of the Bar. Prezzie insisted he wanted to elevate women to Senior Counsel. But wouldn’t the two others – not on the bench – suffice? And was the set procedure that Judges – who should know the rule – send nominations to the Chancellor who collates them and passes them on to Prezzie followed?
“And why not Nigel Hughes?” others have asked. Surely goat didn’t bite him?
…on Moses and Red House
Some say the decision to summarily throw Cheddi Jagan’s papers into the street was also approved by Moses Nagamootoo.
Say it ain’t so, Moses; you Jaganite, you!
