The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister yesterday defended the Christie administration’s efforts to facilitate renewable energy in the Bahamas, following the Black Friday ‘We March’ protest.

Event organisers, in an open letter, had called for a policy to facilitate the use of renewable energy. But Kenred Dorsett, minister of the environment and housing, said: “I remind them that this has been done. The National Energy Policy speaks to our goal of a minimum of 30 per cent  renewable energy penetration in our energy matrix by 2033, and we have begun the national dialogue on the matter.”

The Minister, in a statement, continued: “The Government has also amended the Electricity Act to allow for renewable energy generating systems and interconnection to the grid, as well as established the regulator for the electricity sector - the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA).”

Mr Dorsett said the Residential Energy Self Generation (RESG) programme, which will allow homes and businesses to use solar generating systems to connect to the grid under a net billing framework with Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), is currently before URCA for its review and approval.

“We have been, and continue to be, committed to policies that deliver positive change,” said Mr Dorsett

Organisers of the ‘We March Bahamas’ protest have promised to stage a similar event on Majority Rule Day if the Government does not meet their demands.

The protest attracted significant support from activists and civic organisations, as well as the support of the country’s two umbrella unions, the Obie Ferguson-led Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the John Pinder-led National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB).