Adapt to Government’s Green State Development Strategy – Minister Ferguson

March 1, 2018

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, March 1, 2018

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, today, encouraged dozens of electrical contractors, suppliers and other stakeholders to adapt to government’s ‘Green State Development Strategy’. The minister was delivering the feature address at the opening of the Government Electrical Inspectorate’s (GEI) annual conference at the Umana Yana, Kingston.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson.

“As we Embrace a ‘Green Energy Sector’ to power a ‘Green Economy’, I would like you to also remember, that this initiative by your government is all-inclusive. It means that you, as electrical contractors, business owners and suppliers of electrical products, must follow these standards.”

The minister explained that there are several benefits to be had from the adaptation to a ‘Green State’. The conference, the minister added, was intended to educate contractors on, “the benefits of a ‘Green Economy’, requirements for photovoltaic systems with grid-ties, changes of the National Electrical Code 2017, new requirements for temporary meter circuits, range of voltage offered by Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the new classes of electrical contractor licence and updates on the new list of approved electrical items, among others.”

Meanwhile, Ministry of Presidency’s Department of the Environment, Stakeholder Management Coordinator (ag), Aretha Forde explained that “going green is not about a colour but rather a concept. The rest of the world is embracing a ‘green economy’ and in order for Guyana to advance, as we all would like to see, we need to get onboard.” She further noted that the ‘Green State Development Strategy’ (GSDS) is intended to be Guyana’s long-term national development plan.

“This development plan will go along a green pathway. It will help us to realise green economies. The green economy is our final destination,” Forde explained.

In addition, Forde identified the GSDS as different to the LCDS. She said the LCDS was sector based whereas Guyana kept its forests intact and received payments from Norway for doing so. On the other hand, according to Forde, “The GSDS is all-encompassing. It looks at every single sector within Guyana. It looks at economic development, natural resource extraction, social component, environment…”

There were also presentations by the Fire Prevention Office of the Guyana Fire Service, on safety measures to be adopted when faced with electrical fires and more especially those resulting from a solar electrical installation.

The Government Electrical Inspectorate is the watch guard for the electrical energy sector. Its primary roles are to issue permits for electrical installations, certify code compliant installations, inspect and test electrical installations, license qualified electrical contractors, resolve disputes between public suppliers and consumers of electricity, investigate fires and electrical accidents and train and edify electrical contractors through the publication of manuals.