The APNU+AFC administration earlier today, received some US$17M from the Japanese government to boost local energy efficiency.
The money will be invested in the procurement and installation of energy-saving streetlights, as well as the enhancement of sub-station equipment and distribution lines within Georgetown.
The project will also see the installation of photovoltaic (PV), and energy management systems at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Headquarters in Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The project has been dubbed, “Introduction to Renewable energy and Improvement of Power System,” and will be executed by Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) – a Japanese company based in St. Lucia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge during his remarks, told the attendees that the assistance includes important projects such as the Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), Non-Project Grant Aid, Technical Cooperation Programmes (Technical training, technical projects, and the dispatch of Japanese expertise/volunteers in a variety of areas), among others.
“As Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, I am extremely heartened by the timeliness of the Government of Japan’s contribution in the area of renewable energy because such assistance accords well with Guyana’s development trajectory which is of course towards becoming a green economy.
Both the Project for the ‘Introduction of Renewable Energy and the Improvement of Power System’ and the ‘Procurement of the Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) street lamps’ will contribute significantly to our country’s green state initiative,” The Minister said.
Attending the ceremony also, were: the Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson; the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Guyana, Mitsuhiko Okada; Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan; members of the Japanese Delegation; and representatives of Government agencies and Departments.
Guyana formally established diplomatic relations with Japan in 1967.
