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The ensuing Wales Gas-to-Energy project will add a capacity of 300mw to the system and had the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project come on stream as anticipated in 2013, there would have been an additional 165mw of power currently available.

That project was blocked by the same APNU+AFC opposition and the PPP/C government has not been able to bring it back on stream yet. Notwithstanding, the commitment remains.

The former government only installed a 5.5mw Hyundai generator in 2018 that failed shortly after and invested in three generators at Garden of Eden for US$50 million with a total capacity of 46.5mw which it never brought on stream.

Currently, the PPP/C government is subsidizing electricity generation by over US$100 million with VAT removed on electricity and the price for fuel moving from US$41 to US$91 per barrel between 2020 and 2023. The corporate tax on fuel is being absorbed by the government.

So what’s the plan?

With new capacity installed in the last three years, GPL has found that peak demand has moved from 110mw to 185mw; the company is generating 10mw below that peak demand.

So in addition to massive investments already made on the maintenance of the neglected transmission and distribution network, the 300MW gas-t0-energy project is being constructed, and a total of 84km of new transmission lines are being installed.

Dr. Ali said that within the coming weeks, the government will seek new expressions of interest for the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project.

And with the subsidization of electricity and the return of large and once self-generating consumers to the grid, the government will seek to impose a minimal tax as it encourages a return to self-generating during peak hours (between 13:00hrs and 16:00hrs and 18:00hrs and 22:00hrs.)

These along with new installed capacity by December are expected to provide both short-term and long-term relief to citizens.

“This farm is important because it is in keeping with the government’s vision of moving food production to a different level. This is one of the several projects that we’ll be commissioning across the country. Soon we’ll have similar projects in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Six, and Ten. This is the first Demonstration Farm we are commissioning here in Region Five. This farm and these projects will be used to promote the use of good agricultural practices and technology transfer. This is a part of the package of the extension reform process,” the minister explained.

Further, Minister Mustapha said that the Ministry of Agriculture was working with the Ministry of Education to resuscitate the agricultural departments in schools across the country.

“We are also working closely with the Ministry of Education to resuscitate all the agricultural departments in the various schools. Students will be able to come and do practicals at these very farms. Today, one of the most important sectors, not only in Guyana but across the region is the agriculture sector because of food security. We are constantly in discussions with organizations like the IDB to see how we can have our agricultural institutions mirror similar institutions in the Caribbean and Latin America. We’ve also been working to revamp our curriculum at the Guyana School of Agriculture to facilitate practical training with farmers,” he added.

IDB’s Resident Representative in Guyana, Ms. Lorena Solorzano-Salazar said with the establishment of the model farm, farmers will be able to have improved access to information to increase their production and incomes while reducing environmental impacts.

“With learning from the demonstration farm in Region Five, farmers will have information to increase their production, and incomes and reduce environmental impacts. This demonstration farm is relevant and proves that with simple activities additional agricultural learning will be key to driving the agricultural sector into a higher level of learning with the students who will be participating. Support of this research and demonstration plot is completely aligned with the IDB’s vision for improving people’s lives and we trust that this program and the opportunity that this offers will assist the farmers to significantly adapt and improve their farming practices,” she explained.

But GPL itself cannot cater for the increased demand. So in the short term, Dr. Jagdeo also said the government was sourcing another 30MW of power. That unit should be delivered to Guyana before year end and once delivered, power shortages should be reduced.

He believes these new users are now taking power from GPL’s grid because of the government’s move in 2021 to absorb the increase in water and electricity rates. This was done so the increased cost of fuel, which meant water and electricity would be generated at a higher price, would not be passed onto consumers.

The Vice President also emphasised that these problems would not have been faced if the former APNU+ AFC government had stuck to the PPP’s earlier plans of diversifying the energy mix.

He pointed out that the Amaila Falls hydropower project was just one project that could have increased the supply of electricity locally. That project is now being resuscitated by the Irfaan Ali-led administration as part of a wider plan to meet the growing energy demand through new sources of energy.

The Vice Presidennt reminded the gathering that the government is also constructing a new gas-to-energy project at Wales, West Bank Demerara. Once that project is operational, an additional 300MW of power will be available for local use; that power is expected to be half the cost currently paid.

Meanwhile, GPL this week issued a notice attributed the increased demand to the increasingly high temperatures experienced in recent months as well as the growth in the housing and commercial sector.

In hearing of Salim’s story, he assisted with legal representation, and Salim was eventually freed of the murder charge in 2018.

The father of three, formerly of Wakenaam Island, is now the proud owner of a two-bedroom concrete house.

Additionally, the Managing Director of Mohamed’s Enterprise, Azruddin Mohamed, handed the keys to Parboo’s wife, Kavita Ajodah, on Saturday.

Parboo has practically lived his entire life at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) but has started to take care of the facility for about nine years now.

He thanked the Mohameds for their kind gesture and praised them for always looking out for the poor.

While he remains at the MYO as a caretaker, his brother will occupy the house.

Rasheed Khan constructed both houses to the tune of $19 million.

Meanwhile, Nazar Mohamed also noted that his family will continue to support those in need and make a difference in society.

A wicket each from the slow-bowling pair of Akshaya Persaud (1-16) and Richie Looknauth (1-9) provided extra proficiency for Demerara.

Berbice struggled at 90-5 at one point, following the assault from the pacers, which left much work to do for the middle-order.

Sinclair then single-handedly bowled his team to victory as he on show from the introduction by knocking over West Indies Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul for one.

Mathew Nandu (21), Akshaya Persaud (0) Looknauth, Rutherford(6), Ronaldo  Alimohamed (4) and Bernard Bailey (6) all succumbed to the guile of Sinclair.

Looknauth struck seven fours in a defiant 36.

Pacer Shamar Joseph grabbed 1-18 alongside Veerasammy Permaul who had 1-12.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a two-storey wooden and concrete building engulfed in flames and two houses in close proximity were being threatened by the blaze.

The building involved was owned by 55-year-old Bosmat Ramsahoi and was rented as two apartments.=

The top floor of the building was occupied by 50-year-old Natasha Singh and four others.

The ground floor was occupied by 34-year-old Kelvin McDonald and his four family members.

As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were destroyed.

Another two-storey house located at the same address was also destroyed due to radiated heat from the building of origin.

That building was owned by 30-year-old Rohan Nauth, which he occupied with his family of four.

The entire family is now homeless after their house caught fire from the building of origin.

Additionally, a third house located at Lot 77 Old Road, Eccles, East Bank Demerara, suffered minor damage due to radiated heat from the building of origin.