PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the introduction of electricity to parts of the Gardez City bazaar, June 9.
Paktya Director of the Department of Power Lalden Roue Wawl, and others from the Provincial Afghan government, led the way in setting up the new power grid.
The Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team supported their efforts by providing a small bulk fund of $5,000 to complete the project.
Wawl said 850 additional shops in the market now have electricity. He plans to use the revenue generated from the power production to expand the project and bring power to the rest of the bazaar.
According to a document from the PRT, electricity will increase sales an estimated 20 percent.
“If we have electricity, that will increase our business and we'll have more customers to buy our hardware,” a shop owner said. “Most of the shopkeepers would love to have electricity.”
An increase in economic prosperity makes people less likely to turn to the insurgency, said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Michael Settles, PRT civil affairs non-commissioned officer-in-charge from Vancouver, Wash.
“It tends to calm things down,” he said.
He said when the Afghan government develops infrastructure for the people, especially projects that individuals and small communities are not able to afford, it increases the peoples' confidence in their government.
Vendors, who have already paid deposits for the first month, can use the electricity to power computers, refrigeration units and other electronics.
“If they don't have power, their goods will spoil,” Wawl said, referring partly to the butchers whose meat hangs in the streets.
He also expressed his desire to use his position to help the Afghan people.
“Because the Afghan government spent a lot of money to make us professionals, we have to give something back. We have to serve our county,” Wawl said.
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.13.2011 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 72024 |
| Location: | PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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