The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has been highly commended by the
Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for its commitment to advancing green
energy on the sister isle.
A sod-turning ceremony was held last week Thursday for the Barbuda Energy
Resilience Program.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Project for the CDB, Daniel Best said
the programme will be beneficial in several aspects.
“Beyond modernizing the energy infrastructure, employment opportunities will
also be created during the construction and rehabilitation phase, contributing to
overall economic activity. The provision of a stable source of power in Barbuda
can achieve poverty reduction while lowering dependence on expensive fossil
fuels. From an energy efficient perspective, Antigua and Barbuda’s energy mix will
be further diversified by adding renewable energy capacity, thereby contributing
to the target of attaining fifteen percent of primary energy coming from
renewable energy by 2030. The potential to deliver macro-economic sustainability
both in the short-term as well as long term is also a win,” Best noted.
Best said the relationship the bank has forged with the government has resulted
in several projects that have benefitted the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda.
“CDB is pleased to support this project which builds environmental and economic
resilience, consistent with our energy sector policy and strategy. While we have
had some challenges in advancing this initiative, credit must be given to the
residents, the government of Antigua and Barbuda, and our invaluable partners at
the UK Foreign Office, who have signaled their support for this transformative
process,” he stated.
The project is being financed through grant funding from the UK, under the
United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (administered by the CDB), and a
loan from the CARICOM Development Fund.
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