On Friday, ROSEAU, Dominica, MC—Prime—ster RMinistert Skerrit criticized the Wor Ban and its lending policies to countries in the Caribbean, including Domi, as they seek to develop alternative forms of energy.
Speaking at the signing ceremony for the World Bank-funded US$38.5 million constriction of a new electricity transmission network, Skerrit said that the funding should have been given to Roseau as a grant rather than a loan.
The agreement was signed with the Indian-based Kalpataru Projects International of Latin America. The transmission network is a key component of the geothermal project being undertaken here.
Energy Minister Dr. Vince Henderson said the company will construct 10 kilometers of transmission line with substations starting from Laudat into Fond Cole on the capital’s outskirts, adding, “We are very excited about that milestone.”
Dominica hopes that all equipment for the power plant will be on the island this month. Construction on the island’s first 10-megawatt power plant will begin in December 2025, with a completion date set for that year.
“In the bigger scheme of things, I am speaking to the larger shareholders, the directors of the World Bank, who form the G7 in particular. There is no reason why a country like Dominica should have had to borrow money from the World Bank to build this transmission line or invest in geothermal,” Skerrit told the ceremony that World Bank representatives attended.
“If we are serious about the planet, if we are serious about agreements that we have signed with countries where climate change is concerned and the action we have to take if we are serious about the Conference of the Parties (COP), and if we are serious about the agreement n Copenhagen about 18 years ago, if we are serious about the Paris Agreement we signed in 2015 or there about then we have to own up.
“We have to put the monies where we need it, and when you look at geothermal, geothermal ticks all of the boxes when you are talking about responses to climate change, adaptation, resilience building, reducing the carbon footprints, all of the boxes,” Skerrit said.
He said that yet, Dominica finds itself “increasing our national debt by US$38.5 million, when really it should be a grant, coming out of the Copenhagen agreement, the Paris agreement, and all the pledges that have been made.
“And this is why you find many countries in the Caribbean would like to go to the route of renewable energy, but the moment they start talking about tens of millions (of dollars) to just do the investigation as we have done here, they shy away,” he said, adding that he would prefer not to name countries in the Caribbean that have adopted that position.
“We here in Dominica have the case study to be done on us because we have stood with this project because we believe it is important for the economy of Dominica,” he added.
In December 2023, the Government of Dominica signed an agreement with Ormat Technologies Inc. of Nevada, USA, to finance the construction of the plant and operate and maintain it for 25 years.
Henderson said the project is on schedule, and if it goes well, the plant will be commissioned in early 2026.
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