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VI electricity costs near region’s average

admin — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:00:02 +0000

VI electricity costs near region’s average

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admin Wed, 02/23/2022 - 20:00

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

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Business – The BVI Beacon

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VI electricity costs near region’s average

Recent studies of global broadband and mobile data pricing from United Kingdom-based telecommunications provider Cable.co.uk haven’t turned out well for the Virgin Islands, which has consistently shown to have some of the highest prices in the world for those services.

However, when it comes to electricity, the VI ranks near the middle of the pack regionally.

Just 11 out of 28 Caribbean countries have cheaper electricity than the VI, according to a study released last month from the company.

But the region as a whole is far behind most of the world, and the VI ultimately ranked 175 out of the 230 countries analysed in the study.

“The Caribbean consists of island nations where electricity generation tends to be more difficult,” the study noted.

The study found that the average cost of electricity in the VI is $0.225 per kilowatt-hour, with the territory’s lowest cost at $0.1675 per kWh and its highest at $0.24.

The average price in the Caribbean is $0.237.

Most Caribbean nations are in the more expensive half of the study results. Curaçao ranked as most expensive in the Caribbean with an average of $0.419 per kWh, while electricity per kWH in Puerto Rico averages $0.049.

The next-cheapest countries and territories are Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, Cayman Islands, St. Martin, St Barthélemy, the Caribbean Netherlands, Martinique, Aruba and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Global high, low

However, the VI still pays 32 times more than Libya, where consumers pay just $0.007 per kWh. But it doesn’t come close to the high prices in the Solomon Islands, a chain in the Pacific Ocean, which is the costliest in the world with an average price of $0.692 per kWh.

“The Caribbean consists of island nations where electricity generation tends to be more difficult,” the study’s authors wrote. “Clusters of more expensive countries in which to buy electricity tended to be in small island nations where electricity is harder to generate and/or there are no large-scale power stations.”

Researchers at Cable.co.uk worked for six months to complete an analysis of 3,883 energy tariffs around the world in order to measure the price of electricity in 230 countries.

The study noted that the most expensive countries on the list were all far-flung island nations. After the Solomon Islands, the five most expensive countries in terms of the average cost of one kWh were St. Helena ($0.612), Vanuatu ($0.591), the Cook Islands ($0.523) and Micronesia ($0.484).

‘Striking and obvious’

The study called the similarities between these five archipelagoes “both striking and obvious.” Four of five are in Oceania, and all five are island nations.

“Oceania is one of the most expensive regions in the world for electricity, while island nations also tend to be among the most expensive,” the study’s authors wrote.

After Libya, the five cheapest countries in terms of the average cost of one kWh were Angola ($0.013), Sudan ($0.014), Kyrgyzstan ($0.017), and Zimbabwe ($0.021).

“Conversely to the most expensive, none of these countries is an island, and three of the five are located in sub-Saharan Africa,” the study authors wrote. “The cheapest, Libya, is in Northern Africa, with the only non-African country being Kyrgyzstan.”

According to the study, the cheapest places in the world to buy electricity tend to be countries where either oil and gas prices are very cheap (i.e. countries which produce fossil fuels on a large scale), or where household electricity usage is very small and therefore tends not to require a lot of expensive infrastructure.

Around the world

The United States proved to be the cheapest country in North America, at $0.109 per kWh, followed by Canada ($0.124) and Greenland ($0.250). Oceania is the most expensive region in the world, averaging $0.303.

Meanwhile sub-Saharan Africa has four of the ten cheapest countries in the world and three of the ten most expensive.

Former Soviet countries are the cheapest on average regionally, with all 10 countries in the region in the top 70 cheapest in the world, three of them in the top 10.

The study pointed out that the UK, at $0.251 per kWh, pays the most for electricity in Western Europe and comes 190th in the world for cheap electricity.

“Almost every European nation is cheaper. Most African nations? Cheaper. There are even island nations where energy production is especially difficult that charge less than we are charged in the UK,” research analyst Dan Howdle said in a press release announcing the study results.

The post VI electricity costs near region’s average appeared first on The BVI Beacon.

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Leaders make personal pleas for vaccination

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 23:30:01 +0000

Leaders make personal pleas for vaccination admin Mon, 10/04/2021 - 23:30

Saturday, September 18, 2021

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Local News – The BVI Beacon

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Leaders make personal pleas for vaccination

After imposing an hour and a half maximum time for each member of the House of Assembly to voice their concerns under personal business, Speaker of the House Julian Willock opened the floor to a wide variety of topics across two days, with many members offering their condolences to community members who lost loved ones.

On Sept. 2, Deputy Speaker Neville Smith and opposition members Julian Fraser and Mark Vanterpool voiced their priorities in addressing the pandemic and other issues.

The sitting continued Sept. 9 in the second-ever virtual meeting of the House with the remainder of the speakers.

Mr. Smith, who recently lost two family members, encouraged people in the community to consider getting vaccinated against Covid-19 if they haven’t yet, and to lend a hand to neighbours where possible.

Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development Shereen Flax-Charles joined in the condolences and also commended the Ministry of Health and Social Development for helping young people get vaccinated in the United States Virgin Islands.

She said increasing vaccinations should ultimately help the territory open up faster, alleviating some of the financial pressures she’s seen community members experience this year. She also urged those who decide against vaccination to take every precaution possible.

“Without tourism, we’re going to have a hard time rebounding,” she said.

Mr. Fraser asked people to follow safety protocols, and Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley warned against the possibility of seeing more Covid variants crop up if swift preventive action isn’t taken.

Ms. Flax-Charles also commended the staff members who she said worked diligently to help bring the VI Investment Act to the House. She said some people have labelled the law “the single-most important piece of legislation to be passed in the House of Assembly in the last 30 years.”

The bill purports to promote sustainable economic development and growth via foreign and domestic investors.

But she said it should by no means be considered “selling out” but rather nation building.

Sports were also discussed. Following the recent successes of the territory’s Olympians, Mr. Smith called for a more comprehensive approach to supporting youth in the territory and more public recognition of key community leaders through renaming facilities and roads.

Mr. Fraser said the territory needs to do a better job of maintaining the infrastructure at sports facilities, but that can only happen with adequate government financing.

Schools

Referencing the six schools in District Two, Mr. Turnbull last Thursday highlighted the need for adequate transportation to make sure students have easy access to their campuses. He said the bus programme of five years continues to serve students, including those traveling from sister islands.

He added that it’s especially important to alleviate some of the cost of transportation for families during the pandemic.

But he noted that maintenance issues like mould continue to plague schools in the territory. Partially spurred by these issues, Mr. Turnbull said he remains concerned about teaching vacancies.

For District Eight, Mr. Smith sought to add more roadside disposal sites to address an increase in litter. Specifically in Greenland, he urged action in clearing derelict vehicles.

Sharing similar concerns, Mr. Fraser said large items like old washing machines tend to sit out for a long time before being carted away. He also shared concern about reports of a sewage pipe in the Slaney Hill area that is broken somewhere just offshore.

Social programmes

Meanwhile, District Six Representative Alvera Maduro-Caines highlighted the need for a new home for seniors, for home-care assistance, and for more social programmes.

She also called for more robust government support for organisations like the Family Support Network

The post Leaders make personal pleas for vaccination appeared first on The BVI Beacon.

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CZMU head: Using Greenland for irrigation a good idea

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 14:30:01 +0000

CZMU head: Using Greenland for irrigation a good idea

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admin Sun, 02/28/2021 - 14:30

Sunday, February 28, 2021

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Barbados Advocate - News

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CZMU head: Using Greenland for irrigation a good idea

Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) Dr. Leo Brewster.

A SUGGESTION that the contentious Greenland site in St. Andrew could be put to more practical use, particularly as it relates to providing irrigation for farmers, is “worthy of further investigation.”

During the recently hosted programme Let’s Talk About It, which focused on the Blue Economy, the suggestion was made from a caller that the “pond” on the site which was constructed back in 1997, could be used to develop an aquaculture industry, with the potential for local fishing and or creating another avenue for export and by extension creating foreign exchange.

The site was earmarked by the then Barbados Labour Party administration to be the country’s new landfill, but the multi-million dollar project was scrapped because of environmental concerns.

Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) Dr. Leo Brewster stated, “I think the idea of using the area of the area down there in Greenland, using the water that has accumulated within that location as a potential source for irrigation water to farmers in the area, is a very valid one.

“I think that is something because over the years, since the location for the original Greenland landfill has ‘seasoned’, it has grown up, it has stabilised, it has established itself, and is active in essence as a water retention area. There's been sufficient time for the climatisation of the “pond” itself to be used for irrigation purposes. So I think that's a good idea.”

On the question of whether or not it could be also used conceptually for aquaculture he added that this may be a bit more difficult to visualise. “Because you have to then look at the aspects of establishing the hatchery, the nursery, and then putting them in the pond and being able to actually effectively harvest them from the pond, while taking into consideration the feed sources of water into the pond that could introduce parasites, etc.

“So that may be a little more long term, but potentially, it can be done. I do know that they have looked at similar things in the Bawdens area up there in St. Andrew as well for doing similar aquaculture projects. And that was way back in the late 80s, going into the 90s. They also had the Greenland Agricultural Station where they used to grow freshwater red tilapia and they were experimenting with them there as well.”

He added: “It does provide a unique opportunity for the Fisheries Division to be exploring the concepts of aquaculture as part of that process... and you know, it’s something that I think can be raised with our Minister to that effect.”

Dr. Brewster explained that one of the biggest challenges, however, is the source water. “Because remember that when we start going into the dry season, the water flow into areas like that is not consistent. And therefore, especially when you have long periods of drought, water levels inside the same pond area can fall. And therefore you can then get other issues relating with low oxygen levels that can impact on anything you’re trying to grow in there,” Dr. Brewster explained.

(JH)

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#BTColumn – Tribute to Richard Goddard

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 19:40:01 +0000

#BTColumn – Tribute to Richard Goddard

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admin Fri, 02/26/2021 - 19:40

Friday, February 26, 2021

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Barbados Today

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#BTColumn – Tribute to Richard Goddard

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Professor Sir Henry Fraser

Richard Goddard – farmer, businessman, environmentalist, historian and public citizen – died on Thursday, February 18th at his home Bleak House, at the age of 85, and many thousands of Barbadians from all walks of life mourn his passing.

A hero in his schooldays, a Canadian Royal Mounted Policeman for many years, a businessman managing the famous Kensington Food Fair, a pig farmer, an eminent historic preservationist and environmental activist, a speleologist, hike leader and youth leader, and an amateur historian, among other lives and loves, Richard achieved a certain additional fame in his frank and active opposition to the unwise proposal for the Greenland landfill.

He has been described as a living legend … a library of Barbados … a larger-than-life man, passionate about Barbados, our history and our people. He will be remembered as a Treasure of Barbados.

Although there have been many ways and situations in which we came into contact after I came home to the UWI and QEH in 1977, it was hiking in early days and around the council table of the Barbados National Trust that I got to know the measure of the man called Gorilla since school days, and whose heart was big enough to match his huge frame.

Richard was passionate about Barbados and our history. He researched many aspects of it, and although not necessarily with the rigour of a trained researcher, always with the instincts and determination needed to find the answers – so many of which he did. And his passion was infectious, so in spite of our differences in professional disciplines we got along like a house on fire. And I have often wished we didn’t live so far apart, because he knew so much that I wanted to know!

He had many skills and many interests, but he was especially dedicated to the goals and the work of the Barbados National Trust. He was on council while I was president (1989 – 94) and for many years thereafter.

He was the brains and the brawn behind much of the work on Morgan Lewis Mill, and he was actively involved in the early exploration of Harrison’s Cave. He was always a man of his word, did what he offered and promised to do, and was generous to a fault with his time and knowledge. As others have said, he was frank, honest and outspoken when necessary, and unlike so many people he had the courage always to boldly speak the truth.

Like others working in the field of the environment and conservation, he knew the full story of the Greenland landfill, the facts and the risks, and some of it may have gone to the great beyond with him. But his commitment to truth, integrity and Barbados may have saved us from a huge ecological disaster.

We all cherish his memory and sympathise with his partner Margaret, his son Rene Bruce, and his large family and many friends.

Professor Sir Henry Fraser, Past President, Barbados National Trust

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Businessman, activist Richard Goddard passes away

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 02:50:01 +0000

Businessman, activist Richard Goddard passes away

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admin Sat, 02/20/2021 - 02:50

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NationNews Barbados — nationnews.com

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Businessman, activist Richard Goddard passes away

Prominent Barbadian farmer, businessman, activist and environmentalist Richard Goddard has died.

Goddard passed away at his “Bleak House” St Thomas home Thursday, succumbing after a bout of pneumonia. He was 85.

A Barbadian patriot, he was the grandson of one of Barbados’ outstanding businessmen Joseph Goddard who founded the well known Goddard’s empire.

Possessing an intimate knowledge of his own family history, Richard Goddard displayed a love for the history of Barbados, describing it once as “a very rich history”.

He told an interviewer most of the material possessions which he and his kinfolk owned were earned “out of hard work and education” after detailing how his ancestors had ended up as “poor whites and landless for about 50 years” after one of those ancestors had forfeited “an inheritance of ten acres of land and two slaves” in St Thomas back in the 1600s, for a marriage which Goddard reported the family did not approve.

As a businessman, Goddard once managed the former Goddard’s Supermarket at Fontabelle and also engaged in farming. In public service, he once served on the board of the Salvation Army and was at one time head the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in Barbados.

As an environmentalist, Goddard used his voice and pen to protest the construction of the Greenland Landfill in St Andrew. He also started the Barbados National Trust hikes in 1983.

Paying tribute yesterday, Sandra Archer of the Barbados Hiking Association said on Facebook that the association was “mourning” Goddard’s loss.

Archer wrote on Facebook: “Mr Goddard began to organise hikes in Barbados in 1983 as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme. These were on Sunday mornings at 6 a.m. and lasted for three hours.

“This format has continued to this day with the addition of the evening hikes and continued by the Barbados National Trust and currently hosted by the Barbados Hiking Association.

“Mr Goddard has been a friend of hiking over the years even when he was no longer able to hike and lead groups.”

Also mourning Goddard’s passing are his son Rene and partner Margaret Deutsch. (GC)

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