For years, Rosemarie Henry struggled to charge her phone. She had to walk a distance to a shop in her village, paying $100 an hour while relying on a cane for support. Now, she can do it from the comfort of her home.
“ I feel glad right now about this,” Henry said, reflecting on how difficult it was to make the journey.
“You don’t even want to go out since the place does be so dark. Now, I am glad about it [solar panel],” she told the Department of Public Information.
Henry, who has lived in Loo Creek for 36 years, said the new solar panels would not only bring light to homes but also make the community feel safer. “It will brighten up the place,” she stated.
She is one of some 60 residents of Loo Creek, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, who received solar photovoltaic (PV) home systems this week. Each system includes a 160-megawatt solar panel, a charge controller, a desk fan, and USB ports for charging devices.
The initiative, led by Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy is part of the government’s push to improve electricity access in communities not yet connected to the national grid.
For Yonette Emmanuel, the solar panel is a major relief. “I used to carry out my phone to charge for $100. I feel so happy since I can now charge my phone with my panel. It will be an ease for me,” she expressed.
Mark Angel described the project as long overdue. “This is a wonderful intervention of our government. They remembered us along the highway since we have been without electricity for a number of years,” he said.
Noumanie Ganish explained, “It’s a great help for many of us. I bought a solar fan but it doesn’t last throughout the night. I will get this one to use because the place does be so hot.”
Meanwhile, Minister McCoy said the distribution of solar panels fulfilled another promise by the administration, which has already provided thousands of panels to households across the country to ensure equitable access to reliable electricity.
He explained that this second phase involves the distribution of an additional 7,000 panels to residents who had not previously received them.
“We wanted to ensure that we give solar [panels] to communities that don’t have a connection to the grid at the moment…We want every one of you to do well,” he added.
He further reminded the community to tap into the various developmental programmes to upgrade their skill sets and contribute to the country’s transformation.
They were also were informed to utilise the universal healthcare voucher, which allows them to conduct various medical tests to live a healthier lifestyle.
Major upgrades are underway along the highway, including a US$161 million road reconstruction project and the installation of over 2,000 streetlights to improve road safety.
“Your government is working every single day to ensure that everyone can make steady improvements in their lives. [We want to ensure] that you have the means to earn more disposable income to accumulate greater wealth for [your] families,” Minister McCoy said. (Department of Public Information)
