Dear Editor,
The idea of “Waste-to-Energy” is truly an endearing one to my heart, and one that could potentially contribute to the growth and development of our wonderful and glorious country, Guyana. Consequently, my profound gratitude to the President, Irfaan Ali; Prime Minister, Mark Phillips; Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; and the CEO of Go-Invest, Peter Ramsaroop for meeting with my South Korean colleagues and I, to put forward a proposal for large and small-scale “Waste-to-Energy” processing plants. This concept will undoubtedly propel Guyana forward. Editor, the point of this missive is to highlight the principles and process of generating waste to energy in the form of electricity from the primary treatment of waste.
The goal of this project is to remove trash/garbage with minimal air contaminants that will in no way impact human life, animals, or life in general. The electricity is a by-product of scientific combustion that removes, as we know, waste and/or garbage. This concept also includes the removal of slush that blocks sewer and drainage systems. All this slush is useful money in the Waste to Energy principle. We will have a system for collecting plastics, vegetable waste with paper and wood waste separately and segregated in the process of conversion. All grass, cut in the botanical gardens and cut elsewhere, can be part of this energy. Rice husks, plantain and banana suckers and every other possible green object can be easily converted. Cardboard boxes and sawmill dust would add to the cocktail of rubbish to be consumed by the factory. One of the by-products of this energy conversion is compost that could lead to additional revenue.
I pointed out above that our garbage, when turned into this valuable by-product of electricity, would not be as expensive to sell as if one were buying electricity from a company that produces electricity, while at the same time polluting the atmosphere with its gas emissions. This is where the profitability lie. The money saved from waste management, burning, and damaging of our environment would be an incentive for waste to energy investment. It must be noted that it is difficult to expect a foreign investor to spend all this money to get rid of our garbage on which we spend tens of millions of dollars a year, and expect them to fund all of them, and then hand it over to the Government of Guyana after twenty years. I do not think this is right and proper. My understanding, also, is that tendering for such a supplier would attract some countries that are known to tender below the cost and offering poor quality goods, facilities, and warranties, while the Government of Guyana will be left with large white elephants. At this juncture, I thank the Government of Guyana for seeing my colleagues from South Korea and I ask them to think wisely about this initiative.
Sincerely,
Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.
