Additional Funding for Energy Efficiency Programme

The Government has received additional funding support for its Energy Management and Efficiency Programme (EMEP) through a €9.17-million (US$10-million) grant from the European Union (EU).

This is being allocated through the European Union-Caribbean Investment Fund Facility (EU-CIF) and will serve to promote more efficient use of energy resources by the State that would free up public funds through the reduction of oil imports.

The EMEP will target a reduction in electricity consumption in public buildings and support capacity building for energy planning.

Finance and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, and Director-General for International Cooperation and Development in the European Commission, Stefano Manservisi, signed the agreement formalising the grant allocation, during a ceremony at the Ministry in Kingston on February 2.

The money is in addition to loans totalling US$30 million that were provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which has been appointed administrator of the grant. Total investments in the EMEP now stand at US$40 million.

Mr. Shaw, in welcoming the EU’s allocation, noted that the organisation is the largest provider of grant assistance to Jamaica and “remains an invaluable partner in achieving our development aspirations”.

He pointed out that the Jamaica-EU partnership commenced in 1975 when the country joined the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of Nations, and since then, the organisation has provided over €1.2 billion in funding support, mainly grants.

This, the Minister explained, excluded funding received under the Caribbean Regional Programmes, and bilateral programmes with several EU Member States, including the United Kingdom and Germany.

“The GOJ-EU Cooperation Programme is, therefore, directly aligned with the country’s priorities articulated in its successive Medium-Term Socio-economic Policy Frameworks, utilised to implement the National Development Plan…Vision 2030 Jamaica,” he said.

“Importantly, the EU has led the way with programming its resources through budget support, which is a clear indication of confidence in the Government’s continuing reform of the public sector and public finance management,” Mr. Shaw added.

For his part, Mr. Manservisi underscored the importance of energy efficiency in facilitating macroeconomic development, while lauding the roles of the IDB and JICA in partnering with the EU to support the EMEP.

“I can assure you that the EU is committed to remaining in Jamaica, and to do better than we have done in the period since 1975 in which we have been working together,” he added.

In her remarks, IDB General Manager, Country Department, Caribbean Group, Therese Turner-Jones, described the signing as the “ultimate coming together of partners” in a far-reaching project.

“This project is extremely important because not only will Jamaica be saving around US$6 million a year on its electricity bill, but the EU part will bring savings of just under US$2.5 million in the seven hospitals (targeted)… so that’s tremendous,” the General Manager said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, Hilary Alexander, who represented Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, said the initiative is “an important step forward, and it is going to build on the achievements of the earlier energy efficiency and conservation programmes”.