Sustainable environmental practices must characterise Region’s energy sectors – Guyana’s Natural Resources Minister
[su_pullquote]“We are an unflinching subscriber to the CARICOM Energy Policy that mandates its Member States ‘to transform the energy sector through the provision of secure and sustainable supplies of energy in a manner which minimises energy waste in all sectors, to ensure that all CARICOM citizens have access to modern, clean and reliable energy supplies at affordable and stable prices…’ We each have our peculiarities in terms of – location, size, industry, state of development, strategic economic and development plans; and commodities on offer, but our diversity must not be a barrier to our integrated development.” – the Hon. Raphael Trotman.[/su_pullquote]
Georgetown, Guyana – (January 19, 2016) Minister of Natural Resources of Guyana, Mr. Raphael Trotman, has challenged the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to employ and promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in their energy sectors, even as they pursued development for their countries. He issued the challenge in his address at the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference currently being held in Port-of-Spain.
The Conference, which began Monday and will conclude on Wednesday, is regarded as the leading Energy Conference in the Caribbean; providing a forum for active debates and discussions among leaders in industries and government.
Minister Trotman told the participants that all countries, especially those in the Caribbean must begin to see their natural resources as part of their God-given national patrimony and aim to develop them in keeping with the recently defined sustainable development goals. He then spoke of the Guyana Government’s plan to ensure that the country can become a ‘green’ economy by 2020, through the development and promotion of green initiatives and practices in the various sectors of the economy.
“In 2016 we realised even more that the two – energy and the environment, are inextricably and inexorably linked. Guyana therefore, has a simple and strong objective to sustainably harness and develop the natural resources with respect for the environment and the promotion of the dignity of the people,” Minister Trotman said.
Read more at: Ministry of the Presidency