Vaz hits back at criticism over government's response to global fuel prices

 

 

Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Daryl Vaz, has accused Opposition Spokesperson on Finance Julian Robinson of attempting to mislead the public on renewable energy and the government's response to global fuel prices.

 

Mr. Robinson on Thursday warned that ordinary Jamaicans still struggling to make ends meet, may face additional expenditures before the end of the year. 

 

He also blasted the government for not doing enough to diversify the country's energy mix amid rising oil prices.

 

But Mr. Vaz has rejected the statements, noting that installed renewable capacity rose from 189 megawatts in 2016 to 274 megawatts by 2023. 

 

"The generation procurement entity we established in 2020 also ran 100 megawatts solar tender. Those projects are advancing towards PPAs and 2027-28 commissioning. A larger 220 to 300 megawatts renewable plus storage procurement has followed since then and is about to go out," he added.

 

The Energy Minister said he is disappointed that the opposition is again treating a global oil shock as a partisan talking point rather than dealing with the record. 

 

"In June, I announced that the government absorbed close to $12 million in fuel costs to protect the consumers. So for the Opposition Spokesperson on Finance to suggest that the government has done nothing is absolutely ridiculous; $12 million even while recovering from Hurricane Melissa and trying to accelerate the recovery of the economy is the opposite of doing nothing," he scoffed.

 

Mr. Vaz said the government will continue to manage the global fuel crisis with consumer protection, an orderly renewable-energy buildout, and a new electricity licensing framework that serves the Jamaican people.