The contentious Amaila Hydro Power Bill made its way back into the National Assembly on Wednesday after first being voted down by the Opposition.
The Alliance for Change, changed its position on the legislation and voted with the Government to have the Bill returned to the National Assembly for consideration and later also sided with the Government to pass the bill. That decision cleared the way for the Government to move ahead with its funding of the project.
It was a historic move as it marked the first time that a defeated bill was returned to the National Assembly for consideration in the same session. The other Opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity(APNU) continued its vote against the Bill as it continued to express concern about some of the costs attached to the project, its feasibility and funding.
During the debate, APNU Member of Parliament Carl Greenidge said his party could not support the Bill because a complete feasibility study had not been provided and there was no way of knowing the actual benefits that the project could bring to the people of Guyana.
Minister of Works Robeson Benn chided the Opposition members who did not want to vote in favour of the project saying that it is tantamount to being criminal. The Alliance For Change’s Moses Nagamootoo challenged the Minister on that statement saying that the Government cannot be asking for Opposition support on certain matters and wanting to bad talk the Opposition in the same breath.
After all the debating and discussions, the AFC parliamentarians voted with the Government to move the Bill forward.
The AFC had been shifting its position on the bill even as there were revelations tying the party’s chairman to the Amaila Falls Incorporated. The chairman resigned following the revelations of his links but his resignation was not accepted.
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