The Amaila Falls road project should be re-tendered

Dear Editor,

The government needs to rescind the contract awarded to Synergy Holdings Inc, for the construction of the road leading to the site of the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project, and re-tender with the aim of securing a competent contractor to rectify the shortcomings as identified in the report by international consultants BBFL Caribbean Ltd and Earth Investigation Systems Ltd.

It is hardly a secret that one of the main constraints for the development of Guyana’s economy has been the high cost and unreliability of electricity.

From a consumer and citizens’ welfare standpoint, this scourge has inflicted much damage and great cost for as long as memory would permit.

Similarly, businesses, and in particular our manufacturing industry, have had their development obstructed and handicapped by this.

Recognising this, the government should make every effort to ensure that initiatives aimed at improving reliability and lowering the cost of electricity are treated as high priority and the highest level of professionalism applied.

This does not seem to have been the case with the awarding of this particular contract to Synergy, a disappointing reality considering the potential spinoffs and benefits of the hydropower project.

Yours faithfully,
Clinton Urling