Let there be light!

Persons who are offered energy saving light bulbs are being asked to co-operate with the Cuban Social Workers that would be installing them. This plea has been made by Science and Technology Co-odinator, Phillip Jackson.

Commenting to Searchlight Newspaper on the progress of the exercise Jackson revealed that the project has been going very well, and so far some 5,600 energy saving bulbs have been installed in homes.{{more}}

Jackson revealed that of these, 5,000 were bayonet (push and turn) bulbs, compared with 600 screw bulbs. He noted that more homeowners on the Leeward side received bulbs compared with the Windward.

He said only a few persons have so far refused the bulbs, which are also being installed with help of students from the Technical College and workers with the Youth Empowerment Service.

The Science and Technology Co-ordinator encouraged Vincentians to put away their reservations about having the Cuban Social Workers come into their homes to install the bulbs. He explained, “The Cubans are offering a service, just like any plumber or electrician. We know that areas such as your bedrooms are private, but if you had to have an electrician fix a wiring problem, in just the same way he would have to come into your home to do the job.”

Jackson refuted rumours that the installation of the Cuban energy saving bulbs was a “conspiracy” and noted that it was the Spanish speaking country’s way of assisting the Caribbean. He explained that the project had been carried out in countries such as Venezuela and Jamaica and was currently being conducted in St Kitts and Dominica.

The Science and Technology Co-ordinator said that all home owners who wanted the energy saving bulbs needed to present

a recent light bill so that the home address, meter number and name of the house owner could be documented to verify the bulbs distributed.

He added that the project was consistent with the government’s energy saving policy and said that more Vincentians needed to purchase energy appliances to ensure that their electrical bills were lower.

Jackson said that government was progressing in its project to establish a wind farm at Ribishi, an area which he said preliminary studies have indicated has some of the best wind speeds in any part of the Caribbean. He also noted that hydrological studies are also being conducted as part of the Caricom CREDP-GTZ energy saving initiative to improve energy production in the country.