Dominica and India on Thursday signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement, an initiative which aims to exploit solar energy among solar-rich member states.
So far 46 United Nations member countries have signed the agreement, with Dominica being the latest.
Indian High Commissioner to Dominica, Bishwadip Dey, described the signing as “a very important occasion.”
“It would definitely be a step forward in your confrontation of the climate change problem that we are facing,” he said at a ceremony on Thursday morning. “The Prime Minister of Dominica has been one of the crusaders against climate change and the resolve to fight that is again signified by the signing of this agreement. For Dominica definitely, solar energy would go a long way to not only to make self-sustained efforts to fight climate change but bring changes to the day to day life of people.”
Addressing the ceremony, Foreign Affairs Minister Francine Baron, said it is well known that the high cost of energy has been holding back investments and economic growth in the Caribbean.
“In fact, the cost of energy in the Caribbean is said to be the highest in the Western Hemisphere and among the highest in the world,” she stated. “It is the desire to stem the leakage of investment resources that these high costs represent and to reduce the cost of energy to consumers that has motivated our action in the area of renewable energy.”
She noted that Dominica has been fully engaged in the design and implementation of policies to counter the high dependence on fossil fuels and significant progress has been made in the financing of the island’s geothermal initiative.
Baron said that Dominica has always focused on the idea of a viable mix of clean energy sources such as hydro, geothermal and solar.
“Through our membership of the International Solar Alliance we expect that we will make progress to the appropriate exploitation of solar energy,” she remarked. “We are fully aware of and accept some of the limitation placed by our topography on the exploitation of solar energy, however, the beauty of the ISA is the opportunity it presents for learning and sharing and we are confident that we will benefit from the experience of others in this important field.”
She stated that Dominica is committed to being the first climate resilient nation in the world and “we can, therefore, explore what opportunities are presented in using solar to becoming more resilient.”
“Dominica stands to benefit from the resources and contribution of ISA in developing our solar energy resources in a systematic and organized manner,” he said. “It can support our efforts to establish solar street lights around the country, advise on productive solar applications in agriculture for increasing farmers’ income, help in the design and implementation of solar systems to power our water systems in remote areas, among other things.”
According it its website, ISA said its mission “is to provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar resource-rich countries where the global community, including bilateral and multilateral organizations, corporates, industry, and other stakeholders, can make a positive contribution to assist and help achieve the common goals of increasing the use of solar energy in meeting energy needs of prospective ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner.”
The initiative was started by the governments of India and France.
“Baron said that Dominica has always focused on the idea of a viable mix of clean energy sources such as hydro, geothermal and solar.”
True what about all those gas guzzlers called vehicles, why not bring down the taxes so people can import cleaner vehicles or even electric vehicles ah ah….
They never considered that because that is beyond their horizon. It’s just talk they talk anyway.
I am sorry but Dominica cannot go anywhere with these thugs . As corrupt as they are they they are only there to see how much they can get and to hell with Dominica. For the sake of these people we keep experiencing God’s wrath
During Erika I saw that same smiling face receiving a big check from a corrupt organization but up to today we have not heard the truth regarding that check. This time is Maria and that same face signing more corruption this time with India? Why is she always trusted by Skerrit?
I just cannot see these crooks and criminals that keep destroying my country. They corrupt like hell and just seeing them turns me off.
Do some home work and find out who in Dominica has been deemed as the biggest LIAR in Dominica in the HIGHEST COURT( the PRIVY COUNCIL). Then satisfy yourself to know who is the crook and criminal.
@ little kid that can do nothing other than staying on the block, I don’t have to do any homework to know that a person is not a murderer because the court says he is because I have met some people that murdered but the court says they innocent. A murderer is one that took someone’s life, whether the court says so or not. Similarly, a thief is not a thief when court finds him guilty but rather, a thief is one who steals. A liar is not a liar because the court says so. A liar is one who lies. As far as Lennox Linton is concerned I know he goes to bed every night with a clean and clear conscience. Is that the case with those that got away?
My bad, I agree with you. I’m sure Lennox is not a Saint but one thing is certain he can sleep well at nights, something that could not be said for the Dictator and his cabal.
Man people have been fighting for renewable energy for over 20 years. Now you all try to act like resiliency and renewable energy is something new and is PM that is a crusader? What government needs to do is to revise that Cabinet Decision that allows import duty waiver of only some renewable energy items since 2000whenever to include more items and components if you really want to go green. Also, if i am importing equipment that is environmentally friendly why must i pay an environmental tax? Thankful that India can come in and help us set some things straight and put some order in place, but we are decades behind. We surely know how to talk and talk and talk, but to do? no someone else has to do it for us. So thank you India. I hope your technologies and systems are costly friendly and effective.
Baron, said it is well known that the high cost of energy has been holding back investments and economic growth in the Caribbean. That might well be the case but you fail to mention the most important point that’s holding back investment: CORRUPTION and INCOMPETENCE of the leaders. Would Madame Baron care to tell us what happened to the geothermal project? You mean to tell us that Skerrit wasted $35 million on it. Now you going into Solar only to abandon that in a few years as well after having wasted some more money. Baron, this government of which you are a member is utterly incompetent infact you guys could not organise a drink up in a brewery!! So spare us with all your new initiatives and do us all a favour and RESIGN.
Did the government paid it’s due . Reason for the U.N. put out for none payment and here they are signing an agreement.