JLP's Mair to be deputy chair of National Energy Council — Paulwell

BY CONRAD HAMILTON Observer senior reporter hamiltonc@jamaicaobserver.com

Saturday, February 11, 2012

ENERGY Minister Phillip Paulwell has announced that Opposition Spokesman on Energy Gregory Mair will be named to a National Energy Council that will be set up to preside over a range of developments and concerns relating to energy.

Paulwell, who was addressing an energy forum convened by the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica (AMCHAM) at the Knutsford Court Hotel on Thursday, described the issue of energy as being too critical for it to be the subject of political squabbles.

He said the Cabinet submission relating to the establishment of the council would have been completed Thursday and explained that the proposed council would be a broad-based consultative entity with representation from other key stakeholder groups, including the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association, the Jamaica Exporters' Association, renewable energy entrepreneurs, consumer advocacy groups, and AMCHAM.

"The council has now to take all the talk, all the papers that we have done for years, all the policies that we have put on paper to have them implemented once and for all," said Paulwell, who disclosed that he would chair the committee, while Mair would be the deputy.

Turning to the matter of the high cost of energy, the minister used the forum to encourage the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to explore measures to reduce electricity to consumers even as the Government intensifies efforts to end the power distribution monopoly enjoyed by that company.

He argued that such a move on the part of the JPS would prevent a backlash similar to that encountered by Cable and Wireless Jamaica when its telecommunications monopoly was removed and new players allowed to enter the market.

Paulwell said he doesn't want Jamaicans to turn their backs on the JPS when that day comes, as the Government, which has a 20 per cent stake in the light and power company, would be among the losers.

"If I were the dominant player today, I would be considering to get some of this resentment behind us, to see how I could probably take on a price reduction to encourage the Jamaican people to stay with me and to be with me after liberalisation," he said.

The minister also used the forum to emphasise the need for the exploration of multiple sources of energy even as he declared the new administration's committment to the Liquefied Natural Gas project which was approved by the previous administration.

According to him, coal, renewables and even nuclear energy should be explored. "I share a vision that nuclear, today, is the cheapest source of fuel, and that despite what happened recently in Japan, we are seeing emerging technologies that are dealing with the issue of safety far more adequately than before," he said.

Acknowledging the existence of much cynicism, Paulwell spent time reiterating his view that the oil and gas exploration project, which began in his previous stint at the energy ministry, should be continued. "I am more and more convinced that there is a large source of hydrocarbon somewhere along the southern coastline of Jamaica. I am convinced because of the data we have been able to review" he said.

He stated that Rainville Energy, the company that has been involved in the initial phase of the projec,t will be granted an extension of its licence on the basis that it will begin drilling. He outlined that other exploration licences will only be granted if companies provide a schedule for actual drilling.