It appears not to have occurred to any of the sides in what has degenerated into an outrageously acrimonious debate over the proposed Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project that there exists a close and critical relationship between the quality of life of ordinary Guyanese and the realization of a cheap and reliable source of energy. Hence – in our view – the importance of placing the discourse on the Amaila Falls project in the public domain in a manner that is clear, simple and concise, since, if ever there was a national issue in which ordinary Guyanese need to be involved it is the issue of the creation of a hydropower facility.
There are a few other Amaila-related considerations that are deserving of public comment. The first has to do with the very limited local knowledge of either the technical aspects or the economics of hydro – and that goes for the political commentators and social activists. So the discourse has really been limited to a handful of people who have focused mainly on a disdainful parading of knowledge in a manner that bespeaks considerable contempt for those of us who are struggling to keep up. The upshot of this, of course,