Bahamas
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced the closure of a senior loan for up to $11.2 million to Lucaya Solar Power, marking the first solar plant in The Bahamas financed by IDB Invest under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) framework.
The project represents one of the first utility-scale renewable energy endeavors in the country. Lucaya Solar Power Ltd will sell energy to Grand Bahama Power Company Limited.
The project comprises two solar PV generation systems, each producing 6MW DC (direct current) and 5MW DC, alongside other transmission and interconnection infrastructure located in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
Nikita Mullings, GB Power’s Chief Operating Officer, recently stated to Eyewitness News that the company is advancing towards having 15 percent of its energy generated by solar. “On the renewables side, what it does is stabilize the cost of fuel for our customers because we become less dependent on heavy fuel oil and the effect of the volatility of the fuel market. By the end of 2025, what we would have is about 15 percent of our energy being provided by renewable energy through solar,” said Mullings.
Inti Corporation, the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor engaged to build and operate the $15 million Lucayas Solar Power Project on Grand Bahama, recently announced that its Fairfield solar site would be commissioned at the end of this month.
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Antigua and Barbuda
The Department of Environment (DOE) in Antigua and Barbuda is proud to announce its collaboration with the Antigua and Barbuda Bus Association (ABBA), GEF, and UNEP to usher in a new era of sustainable transportation and the associated training of the Workforce.
Under the GEF Funded Sustainable Low-carbon Island Management (SLIM) project, the ABBA is procuring seven electric buses from China with the USD$560,000 grant which was granted to the Association.
This marks a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly transit solutions in the nation by providing vehicles for local professionals to begin experiencing supporting and maintaining the vehicles.
In line with this initiative, representatives from ABBA, DOE, Antigua State College (ASC), and Antigua and Barbuda Institute for Continuing Education (ABICE) are currently in Nanning, China, from April 6th to April 18th, 2024.
Their mission is to undergo comprehensive training on the operation and maintenance of these electric buses.
This training not only ensures a seamless transition to electric vehicles but also provides an invaluable opportunity for participants to enhance their knowledge and expertise in this emerging field.
Moreover, this endeavor extends beyond the realm of transportation. Ms. Cathy Thomas, Ms. Lakeea Allen, Ms. Shania Bejai, and Jesse Gilpin will be representing the DOE at the 135th China Import and Export Fair Canton Trade Fair in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, from April 15th to April 28th, 2024.
Their participation in Phase 1 & 2 of this prestigious event aims to gain firsthand insights into various materials exhibited, facilitating informed decision-making for green procurement purposes under the DOE’s various projects.
By implementing green procurement practices and fostering bulk purchasing, the DOE seeks to enhance sustainability efforts within its projects.
The focus is on selecting high-quality, sustainable options that align with the nation’s commitment to environmental preservation and climate action.
“The Ministry’s commitment to a full transition from ICE to electric vehicles by 2040 is evident through our collaborative efforts with the wider society, including the invaluable experience contributed by the bus association and transportation sector,” stated the Minister of Environment, Antigua and Barbuda.
“Together, we are working tirelessly to meet our target date of 2040, ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable future for Antigua and Barbuda.”
“The collaboration between the Department of Environment, ABBA, GEF, and UNEP marks a pivotal moment in our nation’s journey towards sustainable development,” commented Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
“Investing in electric vehicles and green procurement practices not only reduces our carbon footprint but also positions Antigua and Barbuda as a leader in environmental stewardship. This initiative aligns with our vision for a cleaner, greener future, and I commend all involved for their dedication to this important cause.”
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting sustainability and combating climate change.
Through innovative initiatives like electric bus procurement and green procurement practices, Antigua and Barbuda is poised to lead the way towards a greener, more sustainable future.
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Guyana
The Alliance For Change (AFC) on Friday called for the resignation of the government nominees on the procurement commission over their failure to sanction a pump station contract to Tepui Inc and it also called for a restructuring of the national tender board.
The award of the Belle Vue pump station contract to Tepui Inc despite the fact that it had no construction experience with such a project has led to denunciations and the decision of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) on Tuesday not to take decisive action to end the contract has raised serious concerns.
In its defence, the PPC in its Summary of Findings said that it has no powers to terminate a contract that has already been concluded.
During his party’s media conference held virtually, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan lashed out at the government-appointed commissioners over the $865 million contract.
“The AFC regards the recent majority recommendation of the PPC, after the complaint by its Executive member and Parliamen-tarian Mr David Patterson, as shamelessly objectionable, unfair and yet another knockdown of a guardrail of our fragile democracy”, he declared.
He told the press that all five Commissioners agreed that Tepui had failed on the evaluation criteria.
“Tepui’s bid failed grievously on every evaluation criteria as found unanimously by 5 Com-missioners”, the AFC Leader stated.
Ramjattan said that his party when examining the PPC’s Summary of Findings found it amazing that a bid which did not meet any of the evaluation criteria could have been passed by the Evaluation Committee at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and given a no-objection by Cabinet.
The party’s leader said “The AFC does not know the names of the members of the Evaluation Commit-tee. However, their names must not be an official secret. The public has a right to know who they are. The AFC is aware that the head of NPTAB is Mr. Tarachand Balgobin, who has a senior advisory role at the Ministry of Finance as Deputy National Authorising Officer and head of its Public Invest-ment Unit. A conflict of interest is most noticeable here. Also, it is well known that Tepui’s owner (Mikhail Rodrigues) is a close friend of Vice President Jagdeo. There is an undoubted conflict of interests and relationships here that mattered more than the merits of the Tepui bid”.
Ramjattan disclosed that the Summary of Findings approved by the PPC was not unanimous. The PPC comprises three commissioner nominated by the government and two by the opposition.
He noted that what added the icing on the cake was when the commission noted that it could not propose any remedial action due to the privity of contract.
“This kind of misconceived `lenience’ ought to have come only from the interested parties who want to see the award go to a friend. It should never have come from a constitutional body which was fought long and hard for to be a check and balance against executive lawlessness in procurement matters”, Ramjattan declared.
He was of the view that the legal device of privity of contract (by the three government-nominated Commissioners Joel Bhagwandin, Rajnarine Singh and Chairperson Pauline Chase) reflects poorly on the trustworthiness of the commission.
Ramjattan said that this is an abdication of the duties by the three commissioners as they are duty- bound in protecting the public purse and preventing the chances of fraud and corruption in procurement matters.
“They abandoned their power under article 212 AA (1)(h) and (i) which provides explicitly that they investigate complaints, and in cases of irregularity and mismanagement and “to propose remedial action”, Ramjattan argued.
“Additionally, to use another device that the complaint was not brought by any competing bidder, but a civic-minded citizen, to deliberately avoid the remedy of voiding the award is an affront to the rule of law. By doing and rationalising as they did, those three Commissioners being so excessively deferential became an arm of the Executive, rather than a check and balance as was intended by the framers of the Constitution. They heeded not the prescription of the Supreme law of the land, but found succour in common law precepts of privity of contract and improper party to legalize illegality”, Ramjattan argued
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Grenada
With the support of the CanadaCaribbean Resilience Facility (CRF) and the Caribbean Regional Resilience Building Facility (CRRBF), Grenada is making progress to ensure the climate resilience of critical infrastructure.
Grenada, like its neighbors in the Caribbean, faces escalating threats from climate change, such as more frequent hurricanes, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and drought. The risk is compounded by weaknesses in infrastructure, particularly in urban areas. Accordingly, the government of Grenada recognizes that there is a crucial need to construct climate-resilient infrastructure proven to effectively mitigate storm and climate related damages. Two GFDRR-administered initiatives, the Canada-Caribbean Resilience Facility (CRF) and the EU-funded Caribbean Regional Resilience Building Facility (CRRBF), are actively supporting these efforts in Grenada.
The CRF Program has been key to ensuring the resilience of infrastructure investments in Grenada. For instance, with support from CRF, World Bank teams have provided technical assistance to the Government of Grenada to accelerate the implementation and completion of investments included under the World Bank-financed Regional Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (RDVRP). A civil engineer, financed by the CRF, provided hands-on training to a team of engineers from the government of Grenada on bridge assessment and design. Featuring customized guidance and materials, the training covered various topics such as the inspection of bridges across the island, the prediction of responses to floods, and the design of remedial works. As a result, technical and operational assistance under the CRF advanced the conclusion of infrastructure works under the RDVRP, contributed to procurement procedures, and supported national agencies in charge of implementation. This work has helped ensure the quality of infrastructure funded by the RDVRP.
The CRF also facilitated the Grenada Resilience Improvement Project (GRIP), another World Bank-financed disaster risk management project. This project is focused on critical road and coastal protection infrastructure interventions and technical assistance to reduce landslide risk, strengthen the resilience of cultural heritage buildings, and establish a road assessment management system to bolster the operation and maintenance of critical road infrastructure. The CRF has recruited technical specialists (bridge engineer, coastal engineer, geotechnical specialist, hydraulic expert, road engineer, and a senior in-country operations officer) who provided direct support to the government in the development and implementation of the GRIP. This included the provision of recommendations for infrastructure design and building the capacity within government to put those recommendations into action.
Meanwhile, under the CRRBF, there has been a significant focus on enhancing disaster risk management and reducing vulnerabilities through support from the Improving Urban Resilience of Coastal Cities in the Caribbean through Resilient Infrastructure and Urban Planning Project and the Caribbean Disaster Risk Financing Technical Assistance Program, both financed by the World Bank. For example, a technical team conducted a virtual workshop aimed at strengthening Grenada’s national asset management systems by sharing the experiences and challenges faced by neighboring governments, allowing experts to learn from each other through participative sessions. By providing up-to-date information on the location, classification and condition of public assets, these systems enable better monitoring of these assets, including critical infrastructure. This, in turn, enables officials to better manage disaster and climate risks to those assets.
Targeted capacity building efforts such as those supported by CRRBF and CRF are critical to enabling the systems that oversee the planning, construction, and operation of climateresilient infrastructure in Grenada. In this way, both the CRRBF and CRF have contributed to the long-term resilience of the island nation and helped safeguard its sustainable development.
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British Virgin Islands
The Government of the Virgin Islands is actively seeking a qualified individual to assume the role of Deputy Chairman for the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Board.
Established under the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency Act 2018 and falling within the purview of the Premier’s Office, the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Board is tasked with overseeing procurement procedures, developing procurement policies, approving business cases, sanctioning procurement contracts in accordance with established procedures.
Ideal candidates will possess specialized expertise and knowledge in governance, as well as experience in contributing to recovery and sustainable development efforts within the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency.
Applicants must satisfy all eligibility criteria and demonstrate professional competencies, as well as possess a balanced set of skills that align with the mandates and responsibilities of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency.
Responsibilities will include assisting the Chairman in providing strategic guidance and oversight to the Recovery and Development Board. The Deputy Chairman will also work closely with Board members to devise and implement policies, initiatives, and programmes aimed at supporting the recovery and development objectives of the Virgin Islands.
In addition, the Deputy Chairman will be tasked with presiding over board meetings in the absence of the Chairman and serve as the Board’s representative at external events and engagements, offer leadership and direction to Board committees and and ensure effective communication and coordination among the Board, government agencies, stakeholders, and the public.
The desired attributes are forward-thinking leadership with a steadfast commitment to the long-term development and resilience of the Virgin Islands, and strategic acumen coupled with the ability to analyse complex issues and devise innovative solutions.
Applicants should complete the application form by Thursday, May 16th 2024 and send via email and/or hand deliver along with a cover letter, resume’ or curriculum vitae and submit to:
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