NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 12, 2013) — The geothermal development project on Nevis will proceed. The assurance came from Minister responsible for Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Hon. Alexis Jeffers when he delivered a report on the status of the project at a town hall meeting. The event was hosted by the Nevis Island Administration at the Red Cross conference room on November 07, 2013.
The Minister indicated that behind the scenes work had been ongoing and an announcement would be forthcoming soon from the Administration with regard to the developer selected to handle the project.
“We have good news for you regarding the geothermal project. Within the next week we are hoping to make an announcement as to who the developer would be of that project. Over the last couple of days we would have had some consultations with the potential developers and we are going to make a selection shortly.
“We have said from day one that we are going to do business differently. There is no need for any hype when it comes to geothermal; there is no hype when it comes to any major project in this country, until we have signed the dotted line and we know where we are heading,” he said.
According to Mr. Jeffers, the sitting Administration had decided to conduct its business in a manner different from its predecessor, as it continued to work on behalf and in the best interest of Nevisians but would not be pressured into making the anticipated announcement.
“Irrespective of what might be said we won’t say anything until the time is right and over the next week you will hear what announcement we have concerning that developer and potentially the period of time when this project would come on stream and I am very pleased to say that we have made significant progress; positive progress…
“You might hear from some persons on the other side who might say, we were opposed to the project. Never! The CCM was never opposed to the project. We just thought that it was done the wrong way or improperly and we are trying to put things right,” he said.
The process of geothermal energy development began on Nevis sometime in 2004 but up to 2013 had not yet been realised.
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