THE Government is to pay the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) some $200 million to remove illegal connections to the service provided to former State-owned sugar factories from the homes of residents of surrounding communities.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Roger Clarke told the House of Representatives yesterday that disconnecting the lines from the factories is
Jerome Reynolds, Gleaner Writer
The Jamaican and Venezuelan governments are to work out a new payment deal under PetroCaribe, which could see Jamaican cement being sold in that market under a special arrangement.
The Energy Minister, Phillip Pauwell says, the Venezuelan government gave its assurance the deal will continue during a PetroCaribe summit on the weekend.
Paulwell says the Jamaican Government is grateful for the continuation of the deal by the
Former Contractor General Greg Christie has accused Audley Shaw, opposition spokesman on finance, of a “disregard and total lack of respect for the rule of law” as well as an “unbridled” willingness to mislead the nation. Christie was responding yester-day to comments made by Shaw and reported in The Government, through the Development of Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), has made some $360 million in loans available for the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across various sectors. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, in closing the 2013/2014 Budget Debate on Thursday, May 1, in the House of Representatives, informed that residential customers can access up to $3 million. The loans are available through financial institutions at an interest rate of 9.5 per cent and the money is repayable over eight years. Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter THE TARGETED reduction of the consumption of energy within the public sector last year failed to meet the announced objective, falling short by two thirds. Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell told Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter THE TARGETED reduction of the consumption of energy within the public sector last year failed to meet the announced objective, falling short by two thirds. Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell told THE EDITOR, Sir: Hardly a day goes by without me hearing of electricity theft from Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) supply lines. What about armoured cable? Has JPS tried this? Twin armoured cables are made up of a minimum of five layers of insulation, the individual insulation of the two conductors, an overall insulation of these two, then comes the armour rap which in the low cost cables is normally made from aluminium and finally the outer insulation. Steel armoured cables are considered the best. The 16mm steel armoured cables come in at about US$600 per 100 metres. I know that there are many Jamaicans who are very ingenious at theft – and not much else – but unless one calls the Grim Reaper and asks him to stay away, it would be a very brave person, or possibly a fool, who tries to make a connection to an armoured cable without first switching the power off and using the correct tools. You can’t connect to an armoured cable by throwing up a hook! Yes, I know that future legal connections to such a line will take longer and cost more, but it is a one-off payment. This will, in the end, cost less than going to and fro to remove illegal connections or throwing up hands and saying, “We don’t know what else to do.” We can’t go on like this! JPS does not (I stand corrected) have any means of determining the difference between line loss which varies and theft, but as it is allowed to charge you and me for that which is guessed theft, why bother to go to the expense of putting up armoured cables in predominantly theft areas. PHIL FOSTER croc@cwjamaica.com St Elizabeth Read more: The local oil refinery Petrojam, which has served Jamaica for a generation, should be shut down unless negotiations with the new Venezuelan government result in expansion plans, according to Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell. The plant expansion has been delayed for eight years. “In relation to Petrojam, this is a project that is well delayed. If Petrojam is not upgraded and expanded, we will have to shut it down. It is as simple as that,” Paulwell said at a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday in Kingston. “So we are awaiting the settling in of the new government and we were promised that as soon as that occurs, there will be a very important meeting with the players.” Petrojam, the company, was incorporated 31 years ago. Government owns 51 per cent of the plant and Venezuela has the remaining 49 per cent since 2006. Petrojam is projected to earn US$21.2 million net profit for this fiscal year ending April 2014 on US$1.9 billion of revenues. The capital expenditure for the year is projected at US$26.9 million.
Beginning in June, the Government will commence accepting bid submissions from investors to develop projects aimed at generating up to 115 megawatts of energy from renewable sources, which could potentially reduce Jamaica
Christie: Shaw failed to disclose many facts.
Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon Peter Phillips (right), in discussion with Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies, before he closed the 2013/ 2014 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on May 1.
Students at Hammersmith Preparatory School in Trelawny perform during the official opening of the institution last week. More than 70 children are enrolled at the school. – CONTRIBUTED
Students at Hammersmith Preparatory School in Trelawny perform during the official opening of the institution last week. More than 70 children are enrolled at the school. – CONTRIBUTED
