…darkness
If there’s one positive aspect of the blackouts that have returned – with a vengeance – it’s the welcome silence that descends upon the land when the lights go out!! Frankly, your Eyewitness has actually plotted all sorts of devious schemes to take out his neighbour – who insists on blasting his “music” until some very unholy hours of the morning!! Your Eyewitness used those scare quotes over the word “music” because the fella has a fanatic affinity for pumping out sounds that are more loud pounding noises bereft of any melody!!
But just when your Eyewitness is about to execute one of his carefully hatched plans — as he climbs his wall that is actually vibrating with the booms as if with a knife — the raucous cacophony is cut, and a blissful silence descends over the neighbourhood. OK…so your Eyewitness’s fans also conk out with the blackout, and the hot air they were circulating in a futile attempt to stave off the Saharan heat that has enveloped his dear mudland for months settles over his sweaty body!! Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire!!
But seriously, folks…about these blackouts. Obviously, because of the aforementioned heatwave, even the dogcatchers are installing air conditioners to survive. And they all pull electricity like there’s no tomorrow. But could the Government have predicted this heatwave?? A decade ago, they’d predicted that our overall electricity needs would’ve increased as their development plans kicked in – and announced a plan to address that need: the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP)!!
Remember that?? It was gonna generate some 165MW of power that would kill two birds with one stone – take care of our power needs, and simultaneously replace our polluting diesel-fuelled generators!! The developer was identified (Sithe); the construction company (China Railway First Group (CRFG), as well as the financing (the Chinese Development Bank). But at the time we had the Opposition with a majority in Parliament, and they snarled that if they were to get into office – which they did in 2015 – they’d scuttle the deal!!
And the developer Sithe – a subsidiary of the world-class Blackstone Group – walked away, since they felt the political risk was too high. So, dear readers, if you wanna blame anyone for the blackouts – it’s the Opposition APNU and AFC!!
AFHEP was going to be the strategic move that any country’s electricity sector demands. Just buying generators – as we’re now forced to do – ain’t gonna cut it. There are the distribution lines and systems that are just as critical.
As it is, the resistance by the Opposition and the Woke Brigade over the Wales Gas-to-Shore Generating Plant – which is now our best bet for energy security – is criminal at best!!
…naysayers
During the 2020 elections campaign, the PPP promised to create 50,000 jobs by 2025. The Opposition and their lackeys scoffed and snickered so hard they almost choked to death!! Well, they must be wishing they’d croaked, because as the years passed, Government moved inexorably closer and closer to their promised goal! And yesterday it was announced that – with one and a half years to go, 50,000 jobs had been created!! How sweet it is!!
Because, you see, dear reader, while we mightn’t have solved the problematic of poverty yet –the sustainable way to do so ain’t by giving handouts. It’s by providing jobs.
Handouts create a culture of dependency – the recipients experience their lack of agency as a debilitating blow to their self-esteem. Whether we like it or not, we’re living in a neo-liberal world, and success is defined by our achievements. Receiving handouts ain’t no achievement!! We still have a far way to go, but salaries inevitably would be raised due to the present labour shortage.
…Opposition to oil
Seems the Opposition knew about the reduction of the expenses claimed by Exxon before the firestorm broke. But they’re dancing between the raindrops by blaming the PPP (local politics) yet keeping on Exxon’s good side (intl. politics”)!
