Barbados TODAY – Prominent businessman, Ralph ‘Bizzy’ Williams has criticized regional governments for their red tape on developmental projects.
Williams said regional authorities need to change their mindset and legislation if they want the alternative energy sector to blossom.
During an address at the University of West Indies Cave Hill Alumini Symposium on the developmental needs of the region, Williams discussed creating a solar-powered Barbados.
But he said outdated legislation and the length of time it takes to get permission from the authorities is delaying developments.
“The sun belt of the world has been held hostage by the oil producers for decades. It is our turn now to use our natural resources to power our economies and we can do it,” said Williams.
“The development of the country is going to depend on a different level of thinking among the regulators.”
Williams said Barbados could be equipped with enough photovoltaic panels to power the entire country which would require two per cent of the island’s land mass amounting to $4.49 billion. He also said wind power is not fully explored in the island.
“The regulations for wind turbines in Barbados require that the sound levels must not be beyond 35, that is quieter than a tomb so how are we supposed to move ahead producing power from the wind if that regulation is in place. They also specify that the base of a turbine must be at least 350 meters from the nearest boundary or the nearest home . . . We are not in Canada which has huge open areas so I have written a request to reduce it to 230 metres and we will see what happens there,” Williams said.
While noting that it takes more than a year to get permission from government to construct a photovoltaic array in one’s backyard, the chairman of Williams Industries argued that’s too long.
“We need a different mindset among the population in general and the regulators in particular. We need a different mindset, one of cooperation and we will get this thing done at all costs,” Williams said.
Renewable energy sources. Why are the Caribbean islands still deep in pockets of Big Oil that is killing of the oceans life’s and why are they no incentives for solar system when building new houses. Why why why. 24hrs 7days hot climates. Throughout the Caribbean as a whole. Cow said it best. The mindset need to change. People need to wake up.
Agree with Bizzy
But why does a home owner has to get TCP approvals to develop his power supply if he already lives on the property and has met all their building regulations and he just helping himself to save money.
Caribbean governments don’t want to free its people from the high cost energy of its state owned energy producers because they used the sector as a means of high revenue tax income. In St. Vincent we are taxed over 100 % for each unit of electricity we consume, it’s crippling us . We are not just hostages to to the oil industry , we are hostages to governments putting the government interests before those of the people . Governments in the Caribbean have no interest in freeing people from the national grid or allowing them to become energy independent . We are in a position where the state is the enemy of the people who are being economically bleed to death .