Nevis to get waste to energy plant

(ZIZ)– The Nevis Island Administration [NIA] has announced plans for the construction of a waste to energy plant on the island.

Speaking in observance of Earth Day 2014, Deputy Premier the Honourable Mark Brantley said “your government is poised shortly to deliver a waste to energy plant to the island which will alleviate much of our waste issues and allow us to gain a small amount of renewable energy as well from the process.”

In addition, Brantley stated that out of the impending joint venture, the administration was also expecting to secure additional trucks to make way for a more efficient waste management system.

Although no date had been given for the commencement of the venture, Brantley said he hoped to provide firm details soon on a start date for the public.

Meantime, Nevis’ former Health Minister, Hensley Daniel, is appalled at Brantley’s statement, as according to him, the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), under his leadership in that matter, had negotiated plans to construct a waste to energy plant.

“When we left government, we had already developed a memorandum of understanding with forever green technology to convert the waste at the solid waste plant to energy. I think we were looking at about 2 megawatts of energy of 1 point something, I’m not quite sure the exact number but the process was very far advanced,” he said.

Daniel then outlined the progress that had been made when the NRP exited office in January 2013.

“It’s a European company. What they had done is that they had taken the memorandum of understanding and had gone across Europe to secure the funding. They told us that they had a number of sources for funds where they could get to fund the project but they needed from us, a commitment to have access to all the waste that we generated, to have unlimited access of course to the facility and that we needed a memorandum of understanding as an indication of our support and commitment to do the project,” he said.

In a related issue, opposition senator and former Minister Responsible for Energy in The Nevis Island Administration, the Honourable Carlisle Powell, has described Brantley as over-reaching, stating that he was not in a position to deliver an Earth Day address.

“I just want to know what context minister Brantley delivered the earth day address. Is the minister responsible for agriculture? And since he spoke on energy matters, is he now the minister responsible for energy in the Nevis Island Administration? He seems to be over reaching himself and his incompetence is already noted in the matters that he has direct responsibilities for in terms of health, in terms of tourism. He can’t seem to get anything right in those areas so why is he over-reaching himself?” he said.