Dear Editor,
The government has changed for the better of all, but it seems to me that some officers from the previous administration are resisting change. I am no engineer, but my little experience working at the electricity standby generating plants at the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA) seed plant and at one in the Takuba Lodge Anna Regina, under the Hoyte and Burnham governments, I was told by the engineers who installed them, that these plants should be free from dust, sand, mud and stones around them at all times.
Standby electricity generating plants need air ventilation to cool the engines so they can perform efficiently without becoming hot and malfunctioning. I remember when the GRPA generating plant was placed in an enclosed room with concrete blocks; I was advised by the engineer who came to link it to the dryer and cleaning plant, to remove the walls and leave it open so it could get full air and function properly. I then removed the walls and used iron grills around the generating room.
On my way to the Supenaam stelling several times I happened to notice sand, earth and stones being stockpiled around the two Guyana Power and Light (GPL) generating plants located at Hibernia on the southern side of the coast. These plants were installed there by the previous administration just before the general and regional elections in order to win votes. The area from Supenaam to Suddie was constantly being affected by regular blackouts; sometimes there was no electricity for months. It can be considered the most vulnerable part of the Essequibo Coast in terms of electricity.
The people and businessmen who suffered the most under the previous administration, now were fortunate to have a regular supply of electricity 24/7. Yet a businessman and contractor could destroy these two plants by stockpiling their sand, stones and dry earth near to them. The engines’ lives will be short if dust and sand, etc, enters them and the practice continues. It seems to me that no one in authority from GPL is seeing these things.
Success will be achieved by the constant application of commonsense and physical energy to solving the numerous problems which this new government has inherited and which inevitably confront it. The development of our economy and infrastructure is not a task merely for the ‘government.’ It is a task for everybody. Over the past months, the government has made massive investments in two Wartsila power plants at Anna Regina and the two standby generating plants at Hibernia which used to produce electricity below capacity.
Millions of dollars have been spent on fuel, and we must now ensure that we get real benefit from these investments. Minister of Infrastructure David Patterson must act urgently to remove the many problems which in the past hampered GPL.
One of the most important of these is the lackadaisical attitude of some engineers and officers. He must act urgently. The stockpiling of sand, stones and dry earth in residential areas is also a health hazard to those who live in the commutities. GPL can achieve success only if all its employees seek to understand the nature of national development and accept individual and collective responsibility for the work to be done.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
