Gov’t optimistic on accessing US$80M Norway forest funds - Harmon

reported as saying that it stood ready to offer additional support for Guyana’s efforts in its continued push towards environmental stewardship, including support from Norway’s Oil for Development assistance programme.

Guyana and Norway had agreed for a final study to be done of the prospects of the large scale AFHP in the aftermath of the government’s disinterest in the project, which had been a key pursuit of the former PPP/C government.

The report, which was completed in December, 2016, had said that the project was worth another look but since then the APNU+AFC government has not issued a definitive position on it despite promises to do so.

The main parties in the governing coalition – APNU and the AFC – had been opposed to the 165 MW AFHP on various grounds including its US$858.1 million price tag. Norway appeared to favour the project and after the APNU+AFC government took office in May, 2015, the two sides agreed in December, 2015 for an “objective and facts-based” assessment of the AFHP for a decision on the way forward.

In Norconsult’s December 12, 2016 report, it was stated that the AFHP was the fastest way forward for Guyana to realize its green energy ambitions.

But Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had reasoned that the Norconsult report was really about how to spend the US$80 million Norway funds. “…Very shortly, this month, we do intend to say to them [the Kingdom of Norway] this is how we should utilise the funds,” Patterson said while noting that “the idea should always be to be progressive and continue moving in parallel with the other studies and interventions.”

Harmon echoed this position yesterday. Said the Minister of State, “I think we need to understand that these are funds that are held by the IDB they were earned by Guyana. It is like you put your money in the bank, and the bank is holding it there for you but all sorts of, what I would call ‘things,’ are placed in between, what I would call ‘the drawing down of this money,’ for projects. Therefore, we have to try to remove those little obstacles that exist so that the monies can be applied to these green energy projects that have been identified.”