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…Ramotar, Ashni Singh, Ron Webster continue to gripe over Amaila fall out Head of State, President Donald Ramotar, yesterday convened a National Economic Forum meant to chart a 10-year strategic development plan for the nation.Held under the theme ‘Promoting Economic Growth through Innovation, Diversification and Partnership,’ the national confab saw a coming together of government, private sector, labour and other stakeholders, inclusive of representatives of the political opposition, at the Guyana International Conference Centre.President Donald Ramotar addressing delegates at the National Economic Forum.The two day forum has been specifically tasked with addressing the issues of Energy, Infrastructure, Land Use/Development, Agro Processing, Manufacturing, Aviation, Tourism, Human Resources and Manpower Planning as well as Non-Caribbean Trade, among other key development-related factors.Held under the auspices of the National Competitiveness Council, which is chaired by the President, the forum benefitted from opening charges by Ramotar; Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh; Private Sector Commission Chairman, Ronald Webster and Minister with responsibility for Industry and Commerce, Irfaan ali.All Hands on DeckThe President, as he sought to outline the importance of the event, spoke to the fact that it sees a bringing together of critical stakeholders under one roof in an effort to chart a roadmap for Guyana.According to Ramotar, “at this stage of our country’s development we need all hands on deck.” He conceded that government will not be able to meet the needs of the people if there isn’t an enlarging of the national economy.“We need to bring our resources together to face the exogenous challenges,” Ramotar said.The Guyanese leader said that while Guyana has managed to build on its international portfolio and relationships, the greatest constraints to the nation is internal.He stressed that there must be a coming together of stakeholders in order to harness the country’s capacity to develop the country effectively.Ramotar cautioned also that ‘we have to move efficiently in the implementation of the decisions we take.”Government, he said,Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys, is doing its part by seeking to put the necessary infrastructure in place, drawing reference to the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the construction of the Marriott brand hotel among others.Responding to critics of the Skeldon Sugar Factory, which many have labeled as a proverbial ‘white elephant,’ the President predicted that with the recent works and tests at the factory, its fortunes will turn around.Amaila BashingRamotar used the opportunity to lash out at the critics of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project, particularly the main opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity, which voted against it recently in parliament.Ramotar said that it was a serious blow, adding that Guyana cannot afford to not have cheap electricity.He said that questions that surfaced over the financial architecture of the project were never raised previously by the opposition even as he made an overture for reconsideration of the project by APNU.He said that what happened with the Amaila Falls Project is a lesson to all that the world is not waiting, and drew reference to the recent hiccup over the Anti-Money Laundering legislative amendments.Ramotar said that the actions on the part of the opposition baffled him as he urged that “we have to work to remove the constraints we have created for ourselves.”Finance Minster Dr Ashni Singh, who also addressed the opening of the National Economic Forum, sought to press home the point that government has been working tirelessly to put in place an enabling policy framework.Dr Singh conceded that it is the input of the Private Sector that hasfuelled the continuous economic growth trajectory but this was only possible because of the framework in place.He cited as an example the government’s approach to the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Sector that is being pressed as an economic pillar.He spoke to the fact that government has not only provided for free distribution of 90,000 laptops, but that through its fiber-optic cable, it is also enabling connectivity.Retarded DevelopmentThe Finance Minister also used his opportunity to speak at the forum to lash out at the APNU for its non-support of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project.He questioned whether time permitted an uncertain alternative to the Amaila Falls Project.According to Dr Singh, every single user of electricity in Guyana pays more than it should, and further, businesses have had to invest in back-up power as a result of the non-reliability of the current system.He said that for the first time in the nation’s history a solution to its energy problems was in sight.“I believe that this generation has a responsibility to ensure we don’t miss our chance,” said the Minister.Dr Singh, as he had indicated in the past, said that the single greatest impediment to Guyana’s development is access to cheap and reliable energy.He said that when the Peoples National Congress Administration failed to secure hydro power, it suffered the nation to endure four decades of “retarded development.”Should the Amaila Falls Project fail now, according to Dr Singh, it would again leave Guyana with decades more of “retarded development”Private Sector Commission Chairman, Ronald Webster in his presentation to the forum also bashed the political opposition for its stance on the Amaila Falls project noting that Guyana’s development is pinned to a ‘green economy.’He said that as the forum gets down to work, as long as there can be a combination of youth with experience and political acumen, then mountains can be moved.Leap of FaithThe Private Sector Commission Chairman said that in charting a course forward, all of the answers are not known up front but what is sometimes required, is a leap of faith.According to Webster this is precisely what was required with the Amaila Falls Project, “a leap of faith.’He urged the grouping to re-think the project and support it, even as he called for a national policy as it relates to the development of land and energy in Guyana.Minister with responsibility for the Industry and Commerce Sectors in Guyana, Irfaan Ali, indicated to the forum that the two-day meeting was not the beginning of the process given that working groups had been meeting for months hammering out the agenda to be dealt with.This he said resulted in the thematic areas that the forum has been tasked with addressing.The forum was yesterday presented with some of the core issues dealt with by the working groups in recent weeks and were given a number of recommendations.These recommendations will be further discussed and fine-tuned today when the stakeholders convene the breakout sessions after which a report will be submitted to the President for Cabinet approval and subsequent implementation.