By Prior Beharry
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley announcement that Trinidad and Tobago will soon start one of the largest solar energy projects in the Caribbean is just another promise that will not materialise.
This according to executive director of the Citizens Union of Trinidad and Tobago Phillip Edward Alexander in response to Dr Rowley’s address to the World Leaders Summit on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday.
Dr Rowley said, “We are in the process of establishing the largest utility-scale solar renewable energy project in the Caribbean with a capacity of 112 megawatts, accounting for 10% of our power needs, and we plan to increase this complement to 30% by 2030.”
In response, Alexander said, “Forgive me if I’m underwhelmed at the prime minister’s latest grand pronouncement.”
He said the solar project was another PNM pie in the sky one just like the hundreds of millions spent in Tamana at the E Teck Park that was to make T&T competitive in information technology that has since been reclaimed by the forest.
Alexander added that the Port-of-Spain financial centre that was the justification for the billion dollar waterfront was now used to play musical chairs with ministries and state agencies having attracted zero commitment from any financial agency.
He said, “The PNM is good at making promises but their promises never materialise.”
Alexander said, “We have not monetised LABIDCO nor Point Lisas, and have failed to make a dent in the multi-billion dollar financial hole that NAPA, SAPA and the tsunami shelter in Tarouba dug, all promising to put us on this or that aspect of the world map while failing miserably to do so.”
He said, “Forgive me if I see this as yet another big noise that will enrich friends, financiers and ministerial kickback beneficiaries at the expense of the taxpayers once again while delivering nothing of value or substance to T&T.”
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