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KINGSTON — Members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have joined forces in an attempt to bolster energy conservation and awareness efforts throughout the region, with its first staging of the annual Caricom Energy Week (CEW). The brainchild of the CARICOM Secretariat, the initiative was launched on November 3 in Jamaica under the theme: ‘Energy Security for a Sustainable Future’, and...

KINGSTON — Minister of Energy and Mining, Hon. Clive Mullings, says that Jamaica will benefit from a US$90 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), to improve energy efficiencies within the public sector. Mr. Mullings said that, in the first instance, an initial US$20 million drawdown will cover institutional strengthening, energy efficiency and conservation. The areas being considered include...

Following the press conference held on November 1, 2011 regarding breach of the scrap metal ban further consultations were held with the Trade Board and the Customs Department. It was confirmed that the only company that applied for an export permit for scrap metal after the ban was Crown Packaging Jamaica Limited. The permits were issued based on the fact...

KINGSTON — The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, has halted all exports of scrap metal from Jamaica, until the issue of breaches of an earlier suspension are cleared up. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, said that the decisionfollows the breach of a Cabinet Order stipulating that companies eligible to export scrap metal must receive...

KINGSTON — The Office of Utilities Regulation’s (OUR) Independent Investigator, J. Paul Morgan, says that the Jamaica Public Service’s (JPS) new digital meters are accurate. Speaking at a press conference at the OUR, New Kingston on Friday (October 21), on the findings of his investigations into the JPS billing and metering system, Mr. Morgan noted that no evidence was found...

KINGSTON — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Reginald Budhan, says it is essential that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) employ appropriate technologies to remain competitive. Mr. Budhan, who was addressing a seminar on modernising business management practices for SMEs at the Ministry in New Kingston on October 12, said that a number of the country’s...

KINGSTON — The Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) has approved the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited’s Standard Offer Contract for the Purchase of As-Available Intermittent Energy from Renewable Facilities up to 100kW, effective October 3. The 84-page OUR notice, the “Determination Notice Document” was released on September 30. It sets out the OUR’s decisions regarding the provisions of a Standard...

KINGSTON — The Department of Local Government, on October 7 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United States-based Green RG Management LLC (Green RG) for the company to test its solar technology in Jamaica. The tests, which will be carried out at certain local government facilities, and other public entities, are to determine the feasibility and suitability of the...

Over the next 3 years, the Wigton Windfarm Limited (Wigton) is hoping to transform its Resource Centre into a high tech training facility for renewable energy, with the aim of developing local capacity and expertise in the industry. Currently, the Resource Centre is outfitted with multimedia capability, electronic workstations and a wind energy poster series. However,plans are afoot to expand...

KINGSTON — General Manager of the state run oil refinery, Petrojam, Winston Watson, is stoutly defending the refinery's projected ability to increase profits in 2011/12. Reacting to questions at an energy seminar put on by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), at their Trafalgar Road head office, Kingston, on Wednesday September 21; Mr. Watson insisted there is nothing wrong with...

Jamaica is estimated to have saved over J$229 million during the first five months of the current financial year, as a result of the electricity produced by the Wigton Windfarm Limited (Wigton). Assuming US$98.06/Barrel (West Texas Intermediate Benchmark) which was the average spot price of a barrel of oil for the period April-August 2011, the estimated savings areJ$229,561,666 or US$2,672,429.18...

KINGSTON — The "moods channel website", designed to empower people to live a more positive and fulfilling life, was officially launch on Wednesday September 21, at a ceremony held at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ), downtown Kingston. The initiative of Research Psychologist and author, Dr. Desmond Green, the website is a motivational vehicle, with insights and core values, which, if...