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.
Objectives
The creation of a renewable energy industry that is owned and managed by the people.
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.
- Solar powered schools with the possibility to sell electricity to earn revenue
- Solar powered streetlights nationwide
- Solar powered state infrastructure - police stations, hospitals, markets etc.
- Waste-to-energy with proper functioning solid waste management
- Small wind and solar facilities in rural areas
- Electric school buses for safe and free travel
- Solar powered workspaces and workshops to reduce imports
- Sustainable job creation
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.
Boot them out!
Profligacy: The finance minister billed the people for over US$65,000...
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.
The Bauxite Lie
We are told that the destruction of many of our communities is necessary because every year bauxite mining contributes over US$1 billion to the economy. We were told that mining contributed US$1.3 billion in 2018.
This is a falsehood.
This financial year (2022-23), the ministry of finance estimated the contribution will be ONLY US$32 million.
In 2019 the contribution was NOTHING.
Add insult to injury, WINDALCO is unprofitable but continues to poison the Rio Cobre.
It is evident that the PM only cares about foreign investors.
Destroying the Dry Harbour Mountains for US$4.5 million
The PM wants foreign investors to blow up the sides of mountains and destroy pristine forests to mine limestone. The sales are expected to be in the region of US$130 million from which the people will receive ONLY US$4.5m.
But in May 2021 the then minister of mining Robert Montague said the PM had listened to the people of St Ann and "... instructed us that we should begin talks with the developers to identify suitable lands with the same or better quality limestone and we have begun preliminary talks with them." So he planned to destroy somewhere else. However, in March the new minister, Audley Shaw said he would be granting the demolition permit.
The decision stinks of corruption.
Incredible returns for foreign investors, at our expense
The potential sales to JPS: around US$7m per annum.
The lease agreement with the National Water Commission: US$10m per annum?
The minister said NWC bills will be reduced by approximately 30%, saving conservatively US$6.7m ($1b). Therefore annual electricity bills for these water facilities is around US$20m, so the lease could be as high as US$14m.
The return on investment could be as low as 3 years!
The US$62.5m swindle is covered in the videos below:
https://youtu.be/wAQVKj9cZZo
https://youtu.be/X9ffarrFPFI
Money for the boys!
Infrastructure structure projects should be welcomed but ours put the people's money into the pockets of parliamentarian friends and family.
The infrastructure component of the development of the STEAM schools will cost US$115.2m. STEM teachers are in very short supply globally so where will ours come from?
Return on investment: $0.
US$50m earmarked for a new parliament building when communities have been marooned without bridges for years.
Return on investment: minus billions annually.
In China: Panda Green Energy recently connected a US$52 million 50 MW solar array to their grid.
Fuel is by far the greatest contributor to the cost of electricity, around 75% of the bill.
- Cost of fuel: $0
Only 3% of our electricity is generated from solar power.
In Jamaica: US$330 million LNG 190 MW power plant has been constructed.
Fuel is by far the greatest contributor to the cost of electricity, around 75% of the bill.
- Cost of fuel: in 2017 we spent US$4.75 billion
Question: why is the government uninterested in pandas?
Corruption! Over 30 years and no jail time
A country where corruption is seen as the norm; the PM cannot explain his wealth but this is acceptable.
Corruption! Only in Jamaica could 600,000 barrels of oil disappear
600,000 barrels of oil has disappeared into the ether and no one has been held accountable. Yes, unrefined oil valued over $43 million, gone like a fart in the wind.
Montego Bay
Photo gallery
Real and tourist Montego Bay.
A few lines for the diaspora and those who love Jamaica. Well it was a few lines when I started but it grew. And grew.....
About Us
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.