GPL closer to improved power generation
-three Wartsila engines arrive for new Kingston power plant
Georgetown, GINA, May 31, 2009
Three Wartsila generation plants procured by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) arrived today in Georgetown and were cleared by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company Bharrat Dindyal at the John Fernandes wharf, Water Street.
Dindyal said that the 16-Volt, Wartsila plants are capable of producing over seven mega watts (MW) of electricity and will add to GPL’s generating capacity and reduce the company’s dependence on diesel.
The CEO pointed out that in Demerara, about 32 percent of the power comes from diesel, and because the Wartisla engines are heavy fuel engines, it will result in lower operating costs for the company.
The cost of the total plant is US$30M and is financed by funds from the Petro Caribe initiative.
The engines will also help to reduce the company’s fuel input bill, which will reduce the cost and better position the company not to increase tariff, Dindyal pointed out.
Containers containing new Wartsila engines at John Fernandes wharf
Meanwhile, Government’s effort to produce a more reliable source of electricity has seen the construction of a new 20MW power plant at Kingston, where works are moving apace.
The new Kingston plant’s transmission line will cover approximately five kilometers between Kingston and Sophia and will be completed at a cost of about US$300,000.
The new power plant is expected to become operational in the third quarter of 2009 and will add much needed base load to Demerara allowing adequate generation capacity to meet peak demand.
At present, Dindyal said that the demand for electricity is 69 mega watts (MW) and the company’s capacity is ‘just about there.’
When this plant is completed, the company expects to re-commission two 5MW Niaagata machines at Garden of Eden, components which were shipped to the United Kingdom for repairs.
Also, measures have already been put in place for an extension of electricity service in Berbice, between Skeldon and Number 53 village.
With this new boost in generation capacity Demerara Interconnected System will have adequate and reliable generating capacity to meet both peak and reserve requirements and ensure a more reliable supply of electricity.
The CEO said that because of the plants’ weight, it will be tedious to transport the engines to the Kingston site for installation. However, he noted that the company’s officials will attempt to move two of the engines today and will continue with the exercise during the week.
Dindyal said that other agencies, including Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) are assisting to move the engines which together weight 120 tonnes.
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Home Affairs Minister visits several Essequibo Islands
-urges formation of more CPGs
Georgetown, GINA, May 31, 2009
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee in a continuing effort to seek ways to improve the safety and security in communities met with residents and Community Policing Group members in Leguan, Wakenaam, Hogg and Fort Islands in the Essequibo River on May 30.
These meetings afforded residents an opportunity to share their concerns and suggestions on improving their communities.
The Minister first visited Leguan, where he inspected the Island’s Police Station and checked on its operations.
A resident of Fort island raises a concern
The first meeting was held at the Leguan Magistrate’s Court where residents expressed the need for a vehicle for the Police Officers. They also requested that a mechanism be set up to facilitate the issuance of driver’s license, since it is costly to travel to other places where it is being done such as Parika and Anna Regina.
The residents were also concerned about noise nuisance on the island and Minister Rohee informed them that his Ministry has started an aggressive campaign against noise nuisance and encouraged them to report all instances. He also promised to examine the possibility of sourcing a vehicle for the police station.
He revealed that in his inspection of the station’s records there was a slight increase in the number of cases of domestic violence in the community. The Minister told the residents that this is cause for concern and informed them of Government’s efforts against domestic violence.
A section of the residents of Hogg Island during the meeting with Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee
Only four of Leguan’s 27 villages have Community Policing Groups (GPGs) which Minister Rohee said is unacceptable. “We need to have a community policing group in almost every village or at least two villages combined, we have about 23 villages on this island that do not have CPGs, we need to improve that situation,” he said.
The Home Affairs Minister challenged the residents to encourage others to join the GPG, since according to him; the strength of the Guyana Police Force is not commensurate with the population.
Leguan has an estimated population of 4,200, involved primarily in rice farming and cattle rearing. Other residents are employed in government administration, teaching, health care and policing. Leguan is situated next to Wakenaam and has five rice factories. The primary mode of transportation on Leguan is bicycle.
After the meeting at Leguan, Minister Rohee then travelled to Wakenaam where he interfaced with residents and members of the CPGs at the Sans Souci Primary School. Residents requested more police officers and highlighted the need for domestic violence awareness sessions in the community. Members of the CPGs also requested bicycles.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee addresses residents during on of the meeting
on May, 30
Replying to these requests the Home Affairs Minister said Government is working to recruit more officers and reiterated his appeal for community members to join the force or the CPGs.
“You have to get involved, you have to go to the other villages where people complain of not having community policing and get them involved,’ he encouraged. Wakenaam has 21 villages and only six have CPGs.
Wakenaam is an island of about 17 square miles at the mouth of the Essequibo River and was settled at one time by the Dutch. The island’s economy, like most other islands is based on agriculture.
At the Western Hogg Island Primary School, residents told the Minister of problems they are facing including destruction of their crops by wild animals. They also expressed the need for a permanent police outpost and that the area’s that the CPG is in need of a boat.
Minister Rohee disclosed that his Ministry has received several requests for establishment of police outposts. He noted however, that these are expensive ventures and before they are established certain procedures have to be followed such as determining the ideal location.
Other residents said the island needs more qualified teachers. The Minister promised to relate this to his colleague, Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh.
Hogg Island, the largest of the 365 islands in the Essequibo River, with a total area of 23 square is larger than many of the Caribbean islands. Its 250 residents are engaged mainly in rice and ground provision farming.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee inspecting operations at the Leguan Police Station
The last trip on the Minister’s busy schedule was Fort Island where he interacted with residents of that historical community. Illegal rum shops and stray animals were the main concerns raised. Residents also informed the Minister that the Island has no CPG.
Minister Rohee disclosed that his Ministry is collaborating closely with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to address the age old problem of illegal rum shops and informed residents of the recently amended pound act.
The Home Affairs Minister also urged resident to look at the possibility of forming a CGP in their community.
Officials from the Home Affairs Ministry and the Guyana Police Force will visit Fort Island to explore the prospect of setting up a CPG in the area.
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Export Diversification, READ programmes for Region Three islands
Georgetown, GINA, May 31, 2009
The US$21M Agriculture Export Diversification Programme along with the US$6.9M Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Development (READ) programme will soon be expanded to Leguan, Wakenaam and Hogg Island in Region Three. A one-day seminar in two weeks’ time hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture will aim to find out possibilities for diversification. This was announced by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud when he visited two of these areas, Leguan and Wakenaam, today.
Earlier in the year, the READ and the Agriculture Diversification programmes were launched by the Ministry to build the capacity of small farmers and to encourage them to get more involved in diversification and livestock farming.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud addressing residents of Leguan Island, Region Three
The initiative to host such a seminar is based on a larger plan by government to cushion and position farmers to deal with the effects of the global economic crisis. Minister Persaud said the seminar will provide a bottom-up approach to deal with such issues.
The idea of diversification was mooted by the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan who thought that farmers should not only be interested in rice alone, but other crops as well.
The READ project will look at opportunities from which small farmers can benefit.
According to Minister Persaud, these communities are not insulated from issues such as the world economic crisis and much more emphasis is being placed by government on the island communities because of their vulnerability. The country as a whole is vulnerable since it depends on overseas inputs such as chemicals, fertiliser and feed. He said that the Ministry is contemplating using cassava as a feed in an effort to cut production cost.
In 1991, Minister Persaud said, a decision was taken by the then government for Leguan residents to remove from the area due to the deplorable state of the sea defence. In 1992, when the People’s Progressive Party / Civic (PPP/C) government came to power they stopped this process and began making interventions to provide a decent standard of living for residents. The private sector has also been responding by making the necessary investments.
Leguan residents at the meeting
In Wakenaam, Minister Persaud noted that agriculture will ensure that the ship will not sink with regards to the global economic crisis and it will allow for Guyana to be food secure.
To aid rice farmers in these communities, Minister Persaud said, seed paddy will be provided by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) at a cost of $3,500 per bag instead of the normal $4,000.
The Ministry of Agriculture has been providing extension agents, veterinarians and training sessions for farmers to support them in capacity building. Training for farmers will focus on farm layout and crop selection.
On the issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) having to be paid for spare parts, Minister Persaud stated that there is a mechanism through the GRDB whereby rice farmers would not have to pay taxes for such. A development proposal could also be submitted to GO-INVEST after which farmers could benefit from duty free equipment.
Two excavators are at the moment working in Leguan to improve the drainage and irrigation systems there. In terms of other works that will be conducted by the government through the region in Leguan for this year, includes a sanitary block at Maryville costing $4M, a $5M revetment at Henrietta, a $1.5M sluice door at Success and rehabilitation of roads from De Witts to Henrietta costing approximately $8.5M.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud addressing Wakenaam residents
At Wakenaam, works include a $6M bridge at Zeelandia, rehabilitation of guest house and overseas quarters at a cost of approximately $4M and $1.6M respectively, rehabilitation of roads from Noitgedacht to Ridge costing approximately $8M and rehabilitation of a bridge at Sarah costing approximately $1M.
Chief Executive Officer, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordworth, said there is a collaborative effort among NDIA, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the execution of the works programme for these areas.
He noted that tenders will be going out for the construction of a koker at Waterloo, Leguan. Of the 60, 000 rods of canals and dams of Leguan, 36, 000 have been completed by NDIA.
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