ST. PETERS --“We need to step up to the plate now and start practicing what we preach in our national energy policy. We are two steps behind because of the constant changes in Government and GEBE’s sense of direction and leadership,” said independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake in a press statement on Sunday.
“Government needs to hit the ground running with the waste-to-energy project for the people of St. Maarten,” Lake said.
“One of my priorities of supporting this Coalition of Eight is finalising the waste-to-energy project to address the huge landfill situation and recycling of garbage. We need to make firm decisions in the best interest of the country as the Coalition of Eight has already started to do with the Government Building on Pond Island, the new hospital,
“GEBE has to concentrate on replacing its water and electricity meters in order to do net metering remotely, especially for persons that have invested into solar. We can get some good ideas on how Aqualectra in Curaçao and Aruba addresses the aforementioned. No need to reinvent the wheel.”
The solar park project on Pond Island should also get off the ground by Government issuing land in long lease as requested to utilities company GEBE, he said. “Studies and plans are in place to move forward rapidly with this project. It will create employment in the initial stage. People need work,” said Lake.
The community needs to be educated about recycling, he said, noting that this process would take time. “We have to start recycling now by separating the bottles, plastics, etc., in order to produce a cleaner environment,” he said.
Government can address cleanup of the districts through district cleaning contracts for the small entrepreneurs, said Lake. “Through the tendering of these 13 parcels contracts, the boys can take pride of beautifying and keeping their districts clean. Also, Government needs to put up signs saying ‘Keep our island clean’ and to place garbage bins in strategic places,” he said.
