By Judana Murphy
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says the government is committed to taking a multifaceted approach to reducing energy costs to consumers, part of that approach is the renegotiation of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company’s current all-island licence which will expire on July 8, 2027.
The prime minister reasoned that the structure of the license has to be renegotiated for greater efficiency and accountability.
“The country can be assured that in the same way we have tackled the big problems – debt, fiscal management, crime, we are going to tackle and bring down the cost of energy to households and firms,” he said.
Prime Minister Holness was addressing the commissioning ceremony for a US$8 million Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Cogeneration Plant at Best Dressed Chicken in Spring Village, St Catherine, noting that 60 percent of Jamaica’s energy is generated through liquified natural gas (LNG), he said it has not resulted in a reduction and stabilization of energy costs.
Meanwhile, prime minister Holness said the government is concerned about sources of energy and its impact on climate.
“What we contribute to global warming or any climate change impact is absolutely negligible. But we still occupy a planet and the space that we occupy is some of the most vulnerable areas in the world. As an island, low-lying, in a hurricane belt, we must be concerned. So, if we are going to raise our voices globally about climate change, then we can’t at the same time be irresponsible in how we conduct our own energy consumption,” he reasoned.
The prime minister said it is important for Jamaica to integrate within its energy mix more climate-friendly fuels. He said Jamaica’s energy policy calls for a certain level of energy security to position the country to be an energy independent small island.
“So we must develop our solar capabilities, we must develop our hydro, and we should also not give up on wind. We should try to develop our wind capabilities as well and we should invest in pump solar hydro as well,” prime minister Holness said.
