BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – ONE of the things that we would like to wish for Barbados in 2013 is that the energy policy that is being put in place should start to bring substantial benefits for the island and its people.
Energy is one of those commodities that stand to build or break a country depending on what place the country lies on the radar of energy usage and availability. Over the past decade the price of oil has risen astronomically and there are no indications that the situation would get any better unless sources of energy are found.
We say this because one of the forces driving the increase in global energy prices is the political instability which rocked the Middle East and North Africa over the last two years and which is continuing with Syria and tensions over the Iranian nuclear programme. Barbados therefore is not alone in setting about to have a broad based programme to develop alternative energy and much has been said about the need for this small island to aim for energy efficiency and to have an industry that will redound to the benefit of other areas in the national economy.
