California, USA —
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, says the Government firmly believes that it is the private sector that should drive investment in energy projects.
He said the duty of the state is to create the enabling environment for investment and then for regulating that environment to ensure that the rules are fair and that everyone observes them.
“We have taken the important step in creating the legislative environment. We now need to improve on the bureaucracy of our regulatory environment because we need those investments to bring in jobs and we need to reduce our crippling oil bill,” he stated.
The Minister was speaking at a stakeholder workshop yesterday (Oct. 9) at the PCJ Auditorium in New Kingston, for the design of a streamlined process for private sector investment in renewable energy projects, particularly hydropower projects.
Jamaica‘s renewable energy market is fully liberalised and open to competition, following the Senate voting unanimously on Friday (Oct. 5), to approve the Extension of Functions Amendment Order, removing the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica‘s (PCJ) exclusive right to exploit and develop renewable resources to Jamaica. The move followed similar action by the House of Representatives the previous week.
The Minister said the move “is in keeping with the goals of our national energy policy, which calls for a modern, efficient, diversified and environmentally sustainable energy sector providing affordable and accessible energy supplies.”
More than 14 government ministries and agencies with responsibility for regulating and legislating various components of the hydropower developmental process, are participating in the training workshop, which is being held over two days.
Noting the importance of the training, Minister Paulwell said the process for approvals, permitting and licensing for small hydro development is “extremely time consuming” as various agencies need to be consulted.
“Right now, Jamaica needs a local approvals process which is time sensitive with clear indications as to how long the entire process will take cognisant, of course, of fitting into the overall time frame of the complete business process. We need a local approval process, which is interactive… transparent so that investors know how many steps are included and which ones to take,” he said.
The training is being delivered by experts from the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (US FERC), and will address issues including, energy infrastructure siting, laws and regulations, licensing processes and interagency interactions. FERC will provide advice based on their experience regulating the hydropower sector in the USA.
The Government has received financing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development towards the cost of the Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement Project.
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JAMAICA Public Service (JPS) and the University of Technology (UTech) have partnered to establish a solar renewable energy facility.
Recognising the need for more diversification in electricity generation, both institutions signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday for the solar energy project
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Jamaica Public Service Company and the University of Technology signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a solar renewable energy facility. Valentine Fagan (left), vice-president expansion, JPS; Kelly Tomblin, president and chief executive officer, JPS; Errol Morrison, president, UTech and Ruth Potopsingh, UTech
WE note with appreciation that Mrs Kelly Tomblin is sticking doggedly to her commitment to transform the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) into a more customer-friendly organisation. Yesterday, the monopoly light and power company that, for decades, has been the subject of much public anger, announced the appointments of 15 parish managers as part of Mrs Tomblin’s promised comprehensive organisational restructuring. “We are decentralising our operations so that decisions about serving our customers in the parishes no longer need to be made at the head office,” Mrs Tomblin was quoted in a JPS news release. “Our aim is to create a more personal connection with our customers, so we are strengthening our service delivery capabilities at the local level.” In an apparent move to enhance the change, Mrs Tomblin also appointed three new regional directors who, she said, will have oversight of the company’s regional operations. One of the encouraging aspects of this strategy is that many of the appointees are new to the company. As such, we expect that they will bring a fresh approach to how the JPS interacts with customers and will, hopefully, contribute immensely to the culture shift that Mrs Tomblin intends to achieve. Following Mrs Tomblin’s appearance at an Observer Monday Exchange in May this year, shortly after she took the job as president and CEO of the JPS, we had commented in this space that she appears to understand that when in pain, neither customers nor her employees will care about the needs of the JPS until it is clear that the business cares about them. We also noted that her emphasis on listening, observing and acknowledging, rather than trying to explain or rationalise, reflected a necessary emotional intelligence that appeared to be missing from the company’s former top management. Based on what we have seen so far, we believe that Mrs Tomblin has brought new and positive energy to the JPS, no pun intended. For in addition to the 15 parish managers and new regional directors, we are aware that she has recruited other talented and highly qualified professionals in order to effect the transformation that the company needs. It is important, though, for customers to bear in mind that the turnaround that it desires will not take place overnight. For the company has been haemorrhaging from years of customer dissatisfaction that has only been made worse by rising oil prices on the world market that have pushed up, rather painfully, the cost of electricity to customers. One key to that turnaround, though, is for the JPS to ensure that it maintains a constant dialogue with its customers and, just as important, its staff. A lot of that responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the parish managers and regional directors who, we suggest, should hold regular discussion sessions with JPS customers in their respective jurisdictions. Of course, the company will never be able to win over everyone. However, we believe that if the JPS can rebuild enough public trust, it will soften somewhat the anger being aimed at the company because of the volatility in international oil prices. And any gains made in that area would be multiplied tenfold if the company moves swiftly to introduce cheaper sources of energy. Read more:
In a move to decentralise its operations the Jamaica Public Service Company, JPS, has announced the appointment of
PARLIAMENT completed the task of breaking the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica‘s (PCJ) control of the exploitation and development of renewable energy resources on Friday. The Senate unanimously
Tomblin
Power company puts greater focus on regional service President and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), Kelly Tomblin, has announced the appointments of 15 new parish managers as part of efforts to transform the light and power company into a more customer-centred organisation. The JPS said the move also formed part of a comprehensive organisational restructuring which is currently in progress within the company. According to Tomblin, “we are changing the way we serve our customers”. “We are decentralising our operations so that decisions about serving our customers in the parishes no longer need to be made at the head office,” she said. “Our aim is to create a more personal connection with our customers, so we are strengthening our service delivery capabilities at the local level.” New directors appointed In this regard, JPS said it has appointed three new directors who will have oversight for its regional operations. The directors include Omar Sweeney, who was most recently at the Planning Institute of Jamaica; Keith Garvey, previously general director of the Rural Electrification Programme; and Blaine Jarrett, who is a previous director of transmission service at the JPS. The company said Sweeney would be responsible for the JPS’s east region while Garvey and Jarrett would head the company’s south and western regions’ operations, respectively. The company added that the recruitment of business executives and professionals from outside the organisation was the first phase of its organisational transformation. “We are excited about the new direction that JPS is taking, and the value and new perspectives that these new executives will bring. Our customers will definitely be seeing and feeling the new JPS before long,” Tomblin said. Read more:
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is to assist Jamaican pig farmers in generating bio-energy from their operations so as to boost their income and benefit from the renewable energy sector. FAO Sub-Regional Livestock Development Officer for the Caribbean, Dr. Cedric Lazarus, said German bio-energy expert Professor Jens Born is due here early next year for talks with the various stakeholders on the initiative. Lazarus said the project would result in reducing pig farmers operational overheads, while generating additional income through sale of energy to the national power grid, among other possible benefits. Professor Born has undertaken a similar assignment in Barbados conducting a review of farm waste management applications and offering practical recommendations for the conversion of pig waste to bio-energy. “He visited approximately 20 pig farmers to assess waste management practices on their farms and options for use of pig manure to produce not only bio-gas, but fertilizer and electricity,” Lazarus said. “He is of the opinion that with the rising price of livestock feed and energy, Caribbean pig farmers should investigate improving on-farm efficiencies and finding additional sources of income from their farm enterprises. One such additional source of income is (the conversion of) pig waste (to bio-energy),” the FAO officer said. Meanwhile, the FAO is to assist Jamaica implement an aquaculture development plan this year, according to Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Roger Clarke. Clarke, who was addressing an African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Fish II Programme validation workshop, organised by the Ministry and the Belize-based ACP Regional Co-ordinating Unit, earlier this week, said J$22 million would be allocated from the Fisheries Management Development Fund (FMDF), to carry out the exercise. He said the aquaculture development plan is aimed at contributing to Jamaicas goals of ensuring food security, employment creation, import substitution, and foreign exchange savings. CMC Read more:
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica Public Service Company
Oil prices rebounded today, from a two month low, to a two month high, as tensions between Syria and Turkey fanned concerns, that exports from the Middle East may be curtailed. Lawmakers in Turkey gave their government a one year mandate for possible military incursion into Syria, after explosives from Syria killed Turkish citizens. The tension saw prices jumping by 3 dollars 57 cents, erasing almost all of yesterday’s 3 dollars 75 cents loss. It pushed the price of oil up, by 4 point 1 percent, to 91 dollars 71 cents a barrel. It was the biggest increase in oil prices since August 3, and means prices are up 15 percent, since the start of the year. Read more: |