Dear Editor,
The blackout woes have started again in Essequibo, some lasting as much as six hours per day and night. No one knows for sure what is causing these blackouts. Essequibians were expecting that the new engines would have been installed since March and there would be no more blackouts. History is now repeating itself on the Essequibo Coast. We were born in blackouts and will die in it. The Ramotar administration has the record for the most blackouts and now GPL is trying to break that record. It was reported in parliament during the last budget debate that the new engines would be ready for March 2018, the first quarter of the year.
This seems far from the date set out for the commissioning. The contractor, according to sources, is far behind time with the construction on the ground. Three-quarters of the work is still left to be completed before the engines can be installed. It looks like this project will roll over for 2019 if all goes well with the weather. The only man to fulfill his promises to Essequibians was the late Dr Cheddi Jagan. He told them when he was out of power that when he got into government he would make sure that two engines would be installed and there would be no more blackouts. As soon as he got into government two engines were installed and there were no more blackouts.
As I see it only those who can afford to buy a standby generator will survive in the darkness, the poor class of people will have to use bottle lamps and if they cannot buy kerosene oil they have to stay in the darkness. Government should know that the three basic comforts for mankind are light, water and roads. These must at all times be in place for the people.
I don’t know who is responsible for reporting to the minister on the progress being made on the Anna Regina power plant construction, all that I know it is far behind time.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
