Opposition disappointed over lack of renewable energy initiatives in National Budget

Linton presented the opposition response to the budget on Wednesday
Linton presented the opposition response to the budget on Wednesday

Leader of the Opposition, Lennox Linton, has expressed the disappointment of the United Workers’ Party (UWP) at the lack of “aggressive” initiatives for the use of renewable energy in the 2016/2017 National Budget, which was presented by the Prime Minister, yesterday.

“We are disappointed that the budget presentation did not contain more aggressive moves towards utilization of renewable energy,” he said Wednesday morning, in response to the budget which was presented by Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit on Tuesday.

Linton noted that although allowances were made for the exploration of geothermal energy, alternative sources of renewable energy were not mentioned.

“We’re hearing something now about geothermal, but we’re not hearing anything again about geothermal, on which we’ve already expended significant thousands,” he explained. “But, we’re not hearing anything about wind, we’re not hearing anything about solar.”

On Tuesday, while presenting the budget at the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament, Skerrit, revealed a budgetary allocation of $46.3-million for the continued construction of a domestic geothermal plant, through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), over a two-year period.

The cost will be met from local and grant resources, he said.

“We will establish a company wholly owned by the Government, to build a 7-megawatt geothermal plant in two stages, of 3.5-megawatt each,” Skerrit divulged.

Skerrit announced that the long-awaited Geothermal Development Bill, which will establish the legal framework for the development of geothermal energy in Dominica, will be submitted to Parliament at its first sitting after the Budget.

The Government has spent over $50-million exploring the island’s geothermal potential.

In April 2016, Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit emphasized the Government’s commitment to the harnessing and development of geothermal energy in Dominica.

In March 2015, Energy Minister, Ian Douglas, said that a draft Geothermal Bill was nearing completion. Douglas said the construction of a small geothermal plant is to begin by 2017.

In 2012 former Energy Minister, Rayburn Blackmoore, had said construction of the plant would begin in the first quarter of 2013.

Also in 2012, Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, told parliament that Dominica could have a geothermal power plant in operation by 2014.

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9 Comments

  1. troof
    July 28, 2016

    Didnt hear anything that supports manufacturing either.

  2. a young man in dominica
    July 27, 2016

    are we really serious in dominica… DNO why dont you post the article when the government side mentioned they wanted to build a 120 megawatt power plant.. are we serious in Dominica… is this a government? or some people looking to steal our money and throw some plans aside like fowl food for some.. Dominicans.. we take mr linton and the opposition for granted.. they are showing us right before our very EYES. the corruption of government.. why has the projected plant srinked from 120 to 7 with no explanation… thats all the government does, say things with no explanining like we dont know jack about anything.. it is disrespectful..

  3. jonathan st jean
    July 27, 2016

    With all those hit and miss proposed dates for the completion of the geothermal plant,the Skerritt administration must be using the Ethiopian calendar to make it’s projections.

  4. July 27, 2016

    How did you get there MR. ?

  5. lol
    July 27, 2016

    has anybody listen to Lennox? I am still waiting for his alternative budget.

  6. %
    July 27, 2016

    I listened to a large part of the presentation and it was just BRILLIANT!!! It exposed the clowns and comics of the DLP,although there was little or no time to prepare…I had a glipse of the faces of of some DLP empty barrels in the house and there was that look of disbelief on their faces as to how Honourable Linton can expose our shortfalls in such a clear and lucid manner!!!HONOURABLE LINTON MAKES ME FEEL PROUD TO BE A DOMINICAN!!!

  7. July 27, 2016

    You think geothermal will start any time soon. Really

  8. UDOHREADYET
    July 27, 2016

    The opposition is always disappointed… yet they never look at themselves becasue that would be a shattering disappointment! :lol: :lol:
    Ask them what their renewable initiatives are…. crickets.

  9. Not a herd follower
    July 27, 2016

    Mr. Linton provided an excellent response to the Budget Address. He was in command of himself, the facts, understanding of the Budget Address and his points of argument. Congratulations, Mr. Linton.

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