The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) has given the Bahamas a grant to help this nation become more clean energy friendly, which will be used to outfit the parking lot at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium with solar power.

The UAE has set up a fund that will help small island developing states (SIDS) respond to the effects of climate change. In The Bahamas, this has taken the form of “comprehensive grant funding to construct a one megawatt solar system” that will cover the parking lots at the stadium, officials said.

Yesterday, representatives of the UAE government conducted a site visit at the stadium. Minister of the Environment and Housing Romauld Ferreira and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard were present at the event, which commenced with a signing ceremony.

Mr Pintard spoke with reporters about the agreement, saying: “The ministry with responsibility for the environment and housing has entered into an arrangement with the United Arab Emirates, [which] has a Caribbean-wide facility seeking to assist various Caribbean countries particularly on the renewable energy side.

“With respect to the Thomas A Robinson Stadium, the goal is to put in place a car park facility that is completely powered by solar. This is obviously consistent with the government’s objective, which is essentially to move increasingly towards renewable energy, and our goal really is to develop this country in a sustainable way.

“You will see it in a number of ways with respect to what is done in Ragged Island, with respect with what will be done with government buildings and increasingly we’re encouraging the private sector to look at renewable energy as a way to bring down energy costs but also to develop the country in a sustainable manner.”

Solar energy development was an element of the Free National Movement’s pre-election campaign. At an FNM ratification event held on November 15 last year FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis promised to “invest in Bahamian entrepreneurs who can provide employment in the renewable energy industry by creating a national solarisation initiative”.

Dr Minnis also said the FNM’s energy policy “will include a national solarisation programme beginning with residential and small businesses where, through net billing, these homes can receive quarterly, six-monthly or even yearly checks or credit on their accounts from the major power company”.