Georgetown : Residents of Mabaruma and Mazaruni will now benefit from 14 hours per day of electricity. This is under the Hinterland Electrification Programme. The disclosure was made by Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson when questioned by Opposition Member Ganga Persaud about 24 hours electricity for the said areas.
Patterson noted that even though the programme will not provide 24 hours per day, the subventions the areas receive have not been reduced, even with lowered fuel prices.
“What we have done, the fuel subventions have remained the same level and what that has done is move it from 8 to 14 hours a day for Mabaruma and Madhia,” Minister Patterson explained. The Minister pointed out that the reason for not reducing the subventions is to ensure that the generators can run for longer periods.
Nigel Dharamlall, also from the Opposition side of the House raised the question of whether or not the Electrification Programme caters for the Amerindian villages in Regions, Four, Five and Six. He said this was a request made by former Minister Pauline Sukhai early in 2015.
Patterson responded stating, “I am pleased to inform both himself (Dharamlall) and his Amerindian constituency and the Honorable Member Pauline Sukhai, yes they are included in there.”
The Hinterland Electrification Programme was awarded $110.990M last evening and will benefit over 135 Amerindian villages.
The project will expand access to clean and affordable energy to Amerindian communities in the hinterland.
Members of Parliament are examining the estimates of expenditures put forward by the government in the 2016 budget. During this process, the Opposition has the opportunity to secure details on government proposed spendings.
