…Italian-funded project to gather data on energy use in the town

THE first session of a two-part National Stakeholder Forum for the Transitioning to National Energy Security (TNES): Bartica as a model Green Town Project was held on Tuesday at the Herdmanston Lodge in Queenstown.

The TNES Project is being implemented by the Office of Climate Change (OCC) in partnership with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) with funding from the Italian Government under the Italy-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Partnership Programme.

The project is designed to gather important data on energy use in Bartica, which will be used to inform evidence-based decision-making for the future implementation of projects and programmes.

In her address, Head of OCC, Janelle Christian said the project will play a critical role in helping the country to become a green state. She urged the stakeholders present to make use of the opportunity presented, noting that the TNES project will provide a blueprint for other towns and countries to replicate.

“As we learn, even as we introduce these concepts in Bartica, they will be replicated in the other towns across Guyana… I want to encourage you today to ask questions, make suggestions so that we can ensure that this process is robust, to ensure that we do not just have a good time in terms of being happy with the results of our studies,” Christian said.

Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall said that Bartica is committed to its role as a model green town. “The municipality of Bartica is committed to, not only establishing ‘green’ projects and ‘green’ ideas and moving the concept forward within the township, but we are also committed to sharing our ideas and ideals with the rest of Guyana,” he said.
He noted that the project will set the foundation for what is to come.

“This project… will lay the foundation for right decisions going forward… Bartica is one of the most beautiful towns in Guyana and we need to preserve that environment. We want to set the pace. We want to ensure that whatever is done there is done in an environmentally friendly matter,” Marshall said.

CCCCC Representative, Mark Bynoe underscored the importance of working with a wide cross-section of consultants in the process of data collection. “A ‘green’ economy must be accompanied with the requisite capacity to stimulate and support such an initiative. Thus, while speaking of public-private partnerships, it’s imperative that we begin that dialogue, not today, but start it from yesterday and long ago… it is imperative that we recognise the importance of working hand-in-hand as we seek to truly make what started out as a vision, become a reality,” he said.

To exemplify the OCC’s approach to data-gathering, the international consultants spoke of their roles in the TNES Project.
Miguel Coutinho, Consultant from IDAD: Institute of Environment and Development, based in Portugal, addressed the development of an energy efficient transportation sector, stating that transportation is a very important issue as far as climate change is concerned.

“Almost 40 percent of imported fuel goes to transportation… as citizens, all of us have a role to play. When we decide to go to a certain place using a certain mode of transportation, that decision has… a strong impact on climate change… We want to understand… how people in Bartica move around… and why they do it and to try to understand if it’s possible to make recommendations to change this system,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Canada-based consultant from environmental engineering and design consultancy, CBCL Limited, Jared Smith, applauded the Government of Guyana for taking on this ambitious task. “We’re going to conduct the energy audits for commercial buildings. We’re going to look at the socioeconomic impacts of this [project]… It’s an ambitious goal but it’s so refreshing to see governments actually pursuing the green building… We’re so excited to be part of that and happy to help out in any way we can,” he said.

Part Two of the National Stakeholder Forum will continue today in Bartica. The meeting hosted teams from various ministries such as the Ministry of Public Health, Finance, Communities, and Public Infrastructure as well as representatives from the National Data Management Authority, the Guyana Office for Investment, the Department of Environment, the World Wildlife Fund, the Guyana National Bureau of Statistics and other national stakeholders.