Remarks by
Jean Ricot Dormeus,
Representative of the Organization of American States (OAS)
At the signing ceremony of the
MOU for piloting a Solar System at the OAS Office
April 10, 2019
Honorable David Patterson, Minister of Public Infrastructure,
Honorable Noel Holder, Minister of Agriculture,
Honorable Annette Fergusson, Minister in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure,
Colleague Wilmot Garnett of IICA,
Colleague Devon Gardner of CARICOM,
CEO Albert Gordon of Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL),
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have gathered here today to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a project that will go down in history as the fruit of a partnership model. In fact, this project, for the first time, brings together the OAS, IICA, CARICOM and GPL and the Government of Guyana to pilot a power generating solar system. So we display the commitment of the parties involved to support sustainable development, climate resilience and renewable sources of energy, to cooperate in the context of the green state development strategy spearheaded by the Government of Guyana, and to show that we can take one step at a time to turn our lofty goals into reality.
A few months ago, I approached Dr Gardner of CARICOM about our institutions adding some more action to our climate resilience talk. I was amazed at the level of enthusiasm, knowledge and experience that welcomed the idea. In just a few weeks, we worked with motivated partners, including IICA and GPL, to build a leadership team, draft and negotiate an MOU, and collect information to roll out the project. Dr Gardner, kudos! Thank you for facilitating the process.
Actually, we have kept the torch of the solar system project lit thanks to the vision of GPL CEO Albert Gordon. Mr. Gordon has been enthused with the green economy policy and has seen GPL partnership with our institutions as a conduit to enrich the experience of the company and to continue to bring it into full modernity. Thank you Mr. Gordon for your support for the Solar System project.
Also, I wish to thank the Honorable Ministers Patterson and Holder for partnering with us in the process of implementing the green state strategy of the Government of Guyana. Personally, I could feel your leadership radiate through the meetings I had with executives in your Ministries and their dependencies, including PS Delma Nedd and Nadia Samuels.
The OAS is pleased to be part of this historic partnership, in particular for two reasons. First, integral development stands as one of the four pillars of the organization. In this context, our member states pursue sustainability and renewability in their development quest and policies. Secondly, The Declaration of Santo Domingo for the Sustainable Development of the Americas requires us to foster partnership in the promotion of the use of cleaner, more efficient, renewable and non-renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and energy interconnection schemes.
I hope this model partnership and pilot project will spread even beyond Guyana shores. As it spreads, we contribute to contain climate change, thus preserving the environment of our region and the planet, for the well-being of the next generation.
Thank you and God bless you!
