“Our citizens cannot be tenants in their own land” – PM Mottley

…talks up Barbados’ ambitious energy plan

On the heels of a fallout between Guyana’s Private Sector and the Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) over the country’s recently established local content legislation, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley has defended moves by Member States to ensure security for its people to benefit from local development activities, stating that failure to do will sow the seeds of destruction.
Prime Minister Mottley is one of the leaders currently in Guyana for the inaugural International Energy Conference and Expo being held in Georgetown. During her presentation at the opening ceremony on Tuesday at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, the Barbadian Head of State pointed out that forums like these present the opportunity to have complex conversations.
One such issue is local content. The Prime Minister noted that there has been compliance from the Private Sector, regionally and internationally, about the need for local content. As such, she threw her support behind Government’s putting systems in place to ensure its people meaningfully benefit from the developmental activities in their countries.
“The day that we do not provide opportunity for our citizens, who participate in active citizenship, of being able to benefit from the patrimony of our country, is the day we sow the seeds of destruction of our nation and invite disruption,” she posited.
The former Caribbean Community (Caricom) Chairperson went on to say that these conversations are also necessary within the regional bloc.
“We will have difficult conversations as well in Caricom and we must, but those conversations recognised that in every country, there’re even regional and local conflicts and disagreements; and it is our duty to be able to smooth that over. But [also] to ensure that at no stage, as newly independent countries of the world, do we leave our citizens as tenants in their own land but make them owners…,” PM Mottley asserted.

Her comments followed widespread public outrage amongst Guyanese Private Sector stakeholders last month over comments made by the Head of the Caricom Private Sector Organisation, who in a leaked email claimed that Guyana’s local content law, which makes provisions for Guyanese persons and Guyanese businesses to benefit from the oil and gas sector at specified percentages, violates certain provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
The CPSO said it is “the most recently-accredited Associate Institution of the Caribbean Community” and is to act as the “apex” institution for the private sector in Caricom, with a mandate to contribute to the full implementation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).
However, major private sector representatives including the Private Sector Commission (PSC) have questioned the legitimacy of this body especially since its establishment was unaware of.
Moreover, the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) met with the Secretary General of Caricom, Carla Barnett, to voice its concerns and called for the regional bloc to suspend recognition of CPSO.
Meanwhile, at Tuesday’s conference, Prime Minister Mottley went on to outline that the lack of opportunities is parcelled in the complex issue of poverty in the region. Another such regional issue she highlighted is the region’s vulnerability to the climate crisis and the mammoth task of energy transition, which she said present both threats and opportunities.
“Energy is integral to our societies,” the Barbadian Head of State noted, while adding that governments must create and incentivise the sustainable use of energy resources.

To this end, Prime Minister Mottley went on to outline her country’s own ambitious journey to transition to 100 per cent renewable sources and to be a carbon neutral state by 2035. In keeping with this goal, she pointed out that Barbados currently has one of the densest electric vehicles (EV) and charging station networks per capita with 500 electric vehicles on its roadways.
Additionally, the island-state also has one of region’s largest electric fleet of buses with 49 and an additional 10 to be purchased soon. Barbados has also already installed 3.7megawatts of photovoltaic systems (solar power panels) on 22 public buildings and is continuing this effort.
PM Mottley further revealed that they have even completed ocean energy studies that investigate and establish feasibility of utility-scale offshore wind and marine power.
“We’re conscious of the potential for Barbados to generate hydrogen from wave energy and the capacity for export,” she indicated.
However, even with its ambitious energy plan, the Prime Minister pointed out that Barbados, like most small islands and development states, are facing the challenge of financing this energy shift. On this note, she signalled the country’s intention to propose an energy accord among the new exporters to invest at least 10 per cent of net revenues in renewable energy.
“We do not have the capacity to easily finance our development in the transition and we’ve not been given the assurances, not even an adaptation funding… The G20 countries produce over 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions and many of them are still some of biggest beneficiaries of oil and gas revenues. We have reached a point where global discussions must now address these issues as to how we transition. If we can put, therefore, a significant percentage of that revenue – at least 10 to 15 per cent – in a fund to finance renewable energy… then I believe would have advanced discussion,” the Head of State asserted.
Moreover, Prime Minister Mottley noted that Caricom countries have already embarked on a mission to chart a sustainable energy future to navigate the energy transition. (G8)