Gov’t may seek referendum on Amaila – PM

Samuel Hinds

Unwilling to write off the prospects offered by the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, the government could move for a referendum on the project, according to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.

“I am going to go to the people of Guyana. I am urging that maybe we make it a referendum issue—that we go to the people of Guyana about it. This is not a political issue, this is not a party question, this is a question about getting power at about 50% of the cost,” Hinds told reporters on Friday, while emphasising that he is willing to do whatever is necessary to bring the project to fruition.

Developer Sithe Global walked from the project in August in wake of its failure to win the unanimous political backing due to main opposition APNU’s refusal to support enabling parliamentary measures. Sithe was slated to invest US$157 million in equity while Guyana was to invest US$100 million. This was just part of the