President meets Amalia Falls hydro project stakeholders

Georgetown, GINA, August 14, 2007

Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo today met Fip Motilall, President of Synergy Holdings Inc. and Bruce Wrobel, Chief Executive Officer of Sithe Global at his Office for talks surrounding the Amalia Falls hydo project.

            Also present at the meeting were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Winston Brassington, Head of the Privatisation Unit.
The Head of State’s visit to the Russian Federation earlier this year had yielded significant benefits for the developmental thrust of the country as a Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed for three important projects: a hydro-power plant, an alumina refinery and an aluminium smelter.

The President said all three projects will be subjected to feasibility studies and if found feasible, these projects would start, based on the Letter of Intent, before the end of 2011. He said since the 1950s Guyana has been trying to harness the power of water to provide energy.
When completed, it is expected to become Guyana's first major hydro-electricity venture, initially producing 100 megawatts, with the capacity to double during later phases.

An Environmental Impact Assessment report was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency for its scrutiny and approval by Synergy Holdings Inc., the company executing the project.
The project site is situated about 40 kilometres north/north-west of the Kaieteur National Park. A permanent 48-kilometre roadway is expected to be built on the site.

            Sithe Global is expected to fund the project. Sithe Global is an international development company engaged in the development, construction, acquisition and operation of electric generation facilities in several countries.
Sithe Global’s management team has extensive industry experience and has worked together on numerous greenfield project developments and acquisitions

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Rice farmers seek Government’s intervention to ride current challenges
- General Secretary RPA

Georgetown, GINA, August 14, 2007

Oil prices have risen, pushing production costs higher and in Guyana rice farmers are also feeling the brunt of the price hike and are seeking Government’s intervention to assist in riding the current challenges they face.

            Meeting the Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud today at the Office of the President to put forward their case were rice farmers from the West Coast Demerara led by General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association Dharamkumar Seeraj 
            Seeraj said after preliminary discussions with the Agriculture Minister on the plight of farmers, a decision was taken to seek the President’s intervention in the matter.

“We need some intervention in terms of removal of the excise tax on fuel… It’s not a subsidy. We are just asking to pay the basic price of fuel and spare parts and let the government work with us to keep the best price for fertilizers... We are not asking for an everlasting solution. We feel that the industry is strong to pull through this tough period and the industry has a great future, given what is happening in the global market.
The RPA’s General Secretary said the assistance being sought is just a short-term measure for the problems being encountered by the farmers.
             He noted that the switch from cultivating corn for consumption to its cultivation for ethanol has set in motion the rising oil prices exerting pressure on the farmers.

            Seeraj said some farmers have decided to diversify, moving towards cattle and poultry-rearing and aquaculture, but noted that limitations exist in such endeavours.
He expanded, “there has been some shift, both within and outside the industry …but there is a limit to what you can do with the rice infrastructure…so mostly, rice is grown under water so rainfall is not too much of a problem. But if you switch to another crop, then you have to spend a lot more money to ensure the land is above water. It would be a lot more strain for those who want to change crops and diversify.”

Seeraj posited that rice has a bright future as a much demanded staple in the international market, hence the shift in production is not a much contemplated one. He noted that rice producers in Guyana are well-placed and have a comparative advantage as the country possess the conducive soil type for rice production and adequate drainage and irrigation systems are in place.
He revealed that expansion of production in the industry is envisioned for the future.  

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