“Enough studies on alternative and renewable energy”.
The TNO report was commissioned by the Dutch government to assess the needs of the Caribbean countries as they seek to transition to more sustainable energy solutions. The report should serve as a basis for the Dutch funding program SDE ++ and has recently been presented to the Second Chamber, the MP explained. “From that report we see again how far behind we are on the topic of renewable energy”.
“It is like I made clear during the parliamentary meeting on Monday. We can not put off decisions on renewable energy transition until we are out of the current energy dilemma. We have not accomplished much in better times, except for a very ambitious energy policy, that never really saw the light of day”.
I have asked that the mentioned TNO report be a topic for a committee meeting of parliament, so we can keep the pressure on the implementation of an alternative energy policy by the government of St. Maarten. I have reasoned in my request for a meeting on renewable energy that this report, compiled by TNO, examined the state of the energy transition in the so-called CAS countries, MP Wescot further stated.
In the Central Committee meeting of Monday, June 17th, only sporadic mention was made of the Dutch funding program(s) available to the Caribbean countries, and with the frequent annotation thereby that a St. Maarten energy transition plan is necessary to initiate talks with the Dutch government regarding available funding for alternative and renewable energy conversion.
“There also appeared to be some reluctance to pursue an energy transition program at this time, due to the magnitude of the energy crisis the country currently finds itself in. St. Maarten has to get to the forefront of this program and react to the TNO study with urgency.”
The government of St. Maarten needs to take a stance on this report and adjust our energy goals with haste. We do not need another study, as the expertise to get us there is available.
It’s unfortunate that we have not synchronized our efforts to embark on a sustainable path of energy transition, rather each party is pursuing its own, Government of Sint Maarten: Gridmarket, GEBE: Energynautics and the Netherlands: TNO.
With the above, the MP outlined her reasons for an urgent meeting of the VROMI committee of Parliament with “the respective minister(s) and other stakeholders which the government of St. Maarten believes can contribute to arriving at an urgent combined plan for energy transition”.
MP Wescot concluded with 2 other reasons for prompt action, namely to ensure that with the new government of the Netherlands taking office shortly, St. Maarten’s part in the funding program (SDE ++) is guaranteed.
And, the MP continued, “The added value of this proactive approach is that we can turn around the negative image and reputation labels that we are slowly but surely being “branded” with. It’s like when the fact of us being in the hurricane belt is used against us and we would turn that around and highlight the resilience of the St. Maarten people, in and out of season.”
