Mr. Andre Samuel, Pastor Cecil Richardson and H.E.
Acting Governor Stanley Reid
A joint project, with the reduction of electricity cost to households as one of its main objectives, has been launched in Anguilla. The broad initiative being undertaken is called “Climate Smarting Communities by Promoting Energy Efficiency in Residential Households.”
The project, launched on Tuesday, September 9, is a collaborative effort by the Department of Disaster Management, the Department of Environment and the Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC), with funding by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
So far, there is a demonstrative undertaking to initially test the project. Twelve lucky households have won selection to engage in best practices to reduce energy output, and to saving money in the process, something that can be extended to other householders. The participating households, as given by Mr David Gumbs, CEO of ANGLEC, as those of Lorna Massicot, Austin Fleming, Mavis John, Maude Richardson, Clarendon Smith, Pamela Alexander, Ron Webster, Kenneth Harrigan, Isaiah Fleming, Boyston Webster, Bernice Lake and Mary Pato-Hanez.
Mr Andre Samuel, Deputy Director, Department of Environment, who chaired the project launch, said the objectives included raising awareness of, and stimulating, energy efficiency behaviour; providing the tools for energy efficiency practices in residential communities in Anguilla; and building resilience to disasters and climate change mitigation.
The project has stemmed from a team of Government department staff members thinking outside the box, and convincing CDEMA about the need for funding the project, its benefits to Anguillian families and its sustainability.
Acting Governor, Mr Stanley Reid, who has responsibility for Disaster Management, said the project had the potential to be highly beneficial to individuals, communities and Anguilla on a whole, and should therefore be welcomed wholeheartedly.
Mr Reid, whose address is published elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian, said that apart from raising awareness and promoting energy efficient behaviour and practices, the project would build resilience to disasters and climate change.
The Acting Governor pointed out that: “A clear incentive to make every effort to secure the success of this project is that the cost of electricity places an economic strain on households. Therefore, any activity resulting in reduced electricity costs is very welcome.”
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Jerome Roberts, observed that the cost of energy had recently “begun to cause an economic burden on Anguillian households.” He saw the project as demonstrating “the first meaningful intervention householders can take to curb their energy costs.”
Mr Roberts commended the project partners for conceptualising it, securing funding, and putting together an interesting programme. He hoped that it would be embraced by the wider community and the operations of each ministry of Government.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs will lead in this regard by embracing this novel and practical solution demonstrated by the widest part of Anguilla and its residents,” the Minister added. “Anguilla must address energy efficiency to complement other efforts being made to support climate change mitigation and adaptation. Therefore, on this note, I wish to state that as Minister with responsibility for the environment, I fully endorse the ‘Climate Smarting Communities’ project initiative and wish the entire project team every success in achieving all of the outputs as stipulated in the programme.”
Director of Disaster Management, Ms Melissa Meade, said in part: “One of the expected results of the project is the Climate Smarting Community Disaster Management Programmes in five communities in the participating states of CDEMA. Anguilla was selected as one of the five. The Department of Disaster Management has collaborated with the Department of Environment and the Anguilla Electricity Company to promote this under the initiative entitled ‘Climate Smarting Communities by Promoting Energy Efficiency in Residential Households’, which we are here to launch today.
“This project will build public awareness on risk reduction, cost-effective and energy-efficient practices that can be used to reduce the carbon footprint and electricity cost at the household level through a participatory approach. It will allow families to become conscious of what can be done in their households to also reduce their risk to disasters.”
