New Forest gets electricity for the first time this month

As Government continues with its multi-pronged approach to expanding energy infrastructure across the country and especially to unserved, remote areas, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service Dr. Ashni Singh today met with residents of New Forest in East Canje, Region Six to discuss developmental matters in their community and surrounding areas in the Ancient County.

There, he told them not to view the electrification of their community for the first time as a story of electricity, but in the context of broader and comprehensive work that the Government is doing under President Ali’s leadership to ensure lives in every community countrywide are improved. New Forest is now being provided with electricity for the first time through the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL).

While there as well, Dr. Singh outlined the various initiatives in the health, education, tourism and energy sectors across the country for the benefit of all Guyanese, including residents of Region Six, such as the Tourism and Hospitality Training facility, the Guyana Technical Training College at Port Mourant, the various educational programmes offered through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) and the various new hospitals under construction around the country.

The Minister also used the opportunity to outline investments that the Government has been making in GPL to ensure that there is adequate electricity to meet in the first instance, the expectations of citizens and the needs of the country’s rapidly growing economy.  He then urged GPL to ensure that the residents of New Forest can switch on their lights before Christmas. In addition, Dr. Singh encouraged the residents to be responsible users of electricity.

This development follows on the heels of previous community engagements between the Minister and the residents of New Forest where, during one such meeting, the lack of electricity was brought to the fore and the Minister Singh committed to ensure on behalf of Government that the area receive this necessity. The action also comes in keeping with President Ali’s directive that no community should be without electricity.

In addition to ensuring that unserved remote communities receive electricity Government has also been reiterating its commitment in the cause of advancing renewable energy resources through the provision of solar panel units to various riverain and remote areas in the country including those in the hinterland.

Through the support of the Indian Exim (Export-Import) Bank, Government has already concluded a project and has been distributing household solar units with the aim of taking solar electricity to 30,000 homes.