OAS to continue the support for geothermal ambitions of Nevis
Montpellier plantation, Nevis (source: flickr/ tiarescott, creative commons)
Francisco Rojas
2 Sep 2014
Alexis Jeffers, Minister for natural resources on Nevis in the Caribbean reinforces the commitment that the Organization of American States is doing to develop geothermal energy in the region.
Minister responsible for natural resources on Nevis, Alexis Jeffers, expressed appreciation to the Organization of American States (OAS) for its continued efforts in the area of geothermal development.
He made the comment at the end of a meeting to discuss the status of the geothermal development project between the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and Sherry Tross, executive secretary for integral development at the OAS, who was accompanied by OAS representative for St Kitts and Nevis, Terence Craig, when they visited Nevis on Friday.
“Nevis has adopted the policy that we are going to try to do our best to make Nevis wholly… green in terms of our dependence on renewable energy instead of fossil fuel. We have had assistance from the OAS over the years and we certainly appreciate their effort in ensuring that we… had work done on geothermal, in terms of geothermal contract, geothermal power purchase agreement and getting us to where we were at one point, as being the leader in the thrust towards the development of geothermal energy.
“We are still pursuing that goal of bringing geothermal to fruition and the OAS certainly remains recommitted towards ensuring that the partnership continues towards that goal,” Jeffers said.
He also noted that the NIA would do all it could to ensure the continued partnership it enjoy with the OAS.
“We certainly want to ensure that the partnership continues with the OAS and I have made the commitment that we will certainly develop stronger ties in the relationship and keep you informed as to what we are doing here on the island of Nevis with respect to renewable energy.
In a brief statement, Tross noted that the OAS felt strongly about its commitment to working with its member states to move forward their development agenda
“The OAS feels very strongly about its commitment to working with its member states, in terms of moving forward their development agenda and in this case, since we are talking about the issue of energy, and particularly for Nevis geothermal energy, and the initiative that we have been working on with you for several years. We certainly want to see that come to fruition.
The OAS official described Nevis’s thrust in geothermal development as visionary and one her organisation would assist with and reminded that she would listen to any concerns related to the project.
“I think what we are doing with geothermal energy is visionary to the extent that we at the OAS can be supportive in terms of helping move this forward. We are certainly there to accompany you. We have been there with you from the very beginning and now as you put new efforts and emphasis and new focus into moving this forward, we also want to accompany you in that process.
“Our director here in the OAS office is here on the ground. If there are any concerns you wish to share with him, he is there for that but I am always a phone call away. That’s the good thing about technology now. We are all next door neighbours. You know that we have the ear of the executive secretary going into development and, certainly, I feel very strongly about wanting to support what’s happening in St Kitts and Nevis and in this particular case, what’s happening in Nevis. I am there. Please feel free to reach out,” she said.
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Source: Caribbean News Now Website
