Welcome to Let's build a better Jamaica
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;
teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;
teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
The government has access to over US$3 billion of the people's money:
Around US$3 billion in the reserves;
A total of US$670 million has been borrowed from the IMF and World Bank specifically to deal with the impact of C19;
US$248 million was borrowed for unsanctioned projects including the national ID card scheme, NIDS plus another
US$50 million for a parliament building when most rural communities are without roads and water, and some without electricity... in 2021.
The annual JPS bill to power all state infrastructure is around US$150 million. We must cast aside this burden, we can't breathe. It is an annual gift to JPS shareholders that the country cannot afford and gets very little for, ask rural communities. Applying the payback period of 4 years, the cost for solar powered state infrastructure would be around US$600 million i.e. 4 annual JPS bills. So the people's money could be invested instead of spending indefinitely and here are some ideas:
Take all state infrastructure off the grid
Deliver solar powered streetlights nationwide
Eliminate school fees to create a fairer education system
Wi-Fi access in all schools
Electric school buses for free and safer travel
Some schools and public buildings would have the capacity to sell excess electricity to earn revenue
Waste-to-energy (in 2009 it was reported that this would generate 18% of our electricity needs and save US$60 million per annum)
Recycling and e-waste management
Infrastructure projects: mini-grids for rural communities, building and construction etc.
Youth centres with vocational and e-learning programmes
Solar and wind powered farming solutions
Solar and wind powered factories and workspaces to boost the manufacturing of imported goods such as glass bottles
Impact numerous Sustainable Development Goals
Hit the 50% renewable energy target that the PM told the world he is committed to. Has delivered clean LNG that has given the country electricity rates amongst the highest in the world and he wants to add mining to his portfolio
The reserves can be rebuilt from the monies donated to JPS and all this can be achieved without spending an extra tax dollar. It would create thousands of jobs paying a living wage and one would expect a reduction in the annual US$500 million crime bill.
This is sustainable and also a social intervention measure.
The energy policy is based on corruption. Tell Greg Christie that you demand an investigation. Tweet him here. Enough is enough.
It could easily be funded if the government was prudent: replace the indefinite payment of electricity bills with fixed term loan repayments.
The annual electricity bill: around US$150m.
An IMF US$1 billion loan: 20 annual repayments of US$52.5m.
So just by borrowing around US$100m could be saved every year. It makes sense to get a loan. It is negligent not to.
This initiative would liberate tens of millions of US$ annually to improve education and eliminate school fees.
There would be significant impacts on the Sustainable Development Goals, the environment and crime.
And it would not cost the taxpayer an extra tax dollar.
This section highlights why the Jamaican people need to rid themselves of the self serving parliamentarians who run the country to maintain poverty, crime and hopelessness. Jamaica receives copious amounts of solar radiation and wind, has no waste-to-energy but is transitioning from oil to LNG at great expense. How come? Because of falsehoods and corruption. Their energy policy is destroying Jamaica.
A country where corruption is seen as the norm; the PM cannot explain his wealth but this is acceptable.
My name is John Lennon and I am a British expatriate living in Montego Bay. I am very passionate about the environment and it's inextricable link to education. I have been advocating for state investment in solar powered schools and renewables since 2014 but have failed miserably. But that is Jamaica for you.
I was born in the UK during Be
My name is John Lennon and I am a British expatriate living in Montego Bay. I am very passionate about the environment and it's inextricable link to education. I have been advocating for state investment in solar powered schools and renewables since 2014 but have failed miserably. But that is Jamaica for you.
I was born in the UK during Beatlemania and when the nurse saw Lennon on my name tag she postfixed John. Whilst it is a good ice breaker, the problem is that most people remember my name whilst I cannot return the favour. I have met a Paul McCartney, spoken to a Mark Chapman and believe it or not I checked into a hotel at the same time as another John Lennon.
Anyway, I spent my teenage years in rural Jamaica before returning to the UK. Jamaica was very different back then. Some things have improved: today it is much easier to get around the island and shops are always well stocked. However, crime is certainly worse today and I think the same can be said for poverty. On our current course and with COVID-19 I am not optimistic about the future.
I think we can start to address these issues if we create a transparent renewable energy industry. Please continue to read to see how this can be achieved.
I would like to hear your thoughts and ideas so please contact and/or follow us on Twitter.
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