–inks deal to help buy-in to president’s vision of a flourishing economy

THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) has sought the assistance of The Energy and Resources Institute of India (TERI) in its quest to go ‘green’, in keeping with a pledge it made to help the government realise its dream.A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to this effect was inked yesterday by the two parties, with TERI’s Director-General, Dr Ajay Mathur signing on behalf of the Institute.

The deal was inked at the Georgetown Marriot in Kingston, and will see TERI advising the PSC on policy matters, and the various private sector companies on how to enhance their investments by adopting greener technologies.

RESEARCH-BASED
As Mathur told his audience of primarily local private sector representatives, government and other officials at the signing yesterday, while TERI’s work is research-based, it invariably leads to polices that can be implemented, technologies and products that can be adopted, and the development of services that can be used by its partners.

Noting that TERI is working on establishing an office here by October, Mathur said the Institute’s work is primarily centred on the areas of energy, climate change, sustainable agriculture, environmental issues and water management.

“In each research, the goal is to develop solutions that can help promote sustainable development,” he said, using as a typical example the development of a biomass gasifier to produce either heat or electricity.

Among projects on which it has worked here before are the improvement of energy efficiency at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); the Moco Moco hydro-project; and the feasibility of establishing a biodiversity centre here.

A NEW LEVEL
“We want to move to a new level; of being able to support the Guyanese society, particularly the private sector, in not only talking about cleaner and more sustainable development, but also having the tools that are needed,” Mathur said, adding that it is against this backdrop that the partnership with the PSC is being viewed as being particularly important.

“We commit to supporting the PSC in its consideration of ‘green’ growth and sustainable development,” Mathur said, adding that the relevant information will be provided to the business sector, and audits on energy performance will be undertaken to envisage the type of opportunities which exist.

As a prelude to the partnership with TERI, PSC Chairman, Eddie Boyer said it was out of a recognition that the business community needed to support the government in its quest to transform the country’s economy by way of adopting ‘green’ policies, that the PSC is seeking to enhance its knowledge and that of its members.

He said the decision to throw its weight behind the government was taken when President David Granger outlined his commitment to the establishment of a ‘green’ economy which will rely on clean renewable energy, while contributing to the mitigation of climate change.
Testimony of that pledge, Boyer said, was its inking of the MOU yesterday.

Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma in brief remarks, conceded that the MOU and its goals are in keeping with those of the government.

The MOU, which covers an initial three-year period, allows for technical advice and support in the areas of climate change, energy and the environment and sustainable development.

TERI, which is based in New Delhi, India, was formed in 1974 in India as an offshoot of the Tata conglomerate, and obtained its current name as the scope of its activities widened.