Japanese funds reallocated for renewable energy streetlights

Cabinet has agreed to cancel the residual funds allocated to National Hardware (Guyana) Limited, under the Japanese Non-Project Grant Aid (JNPGA) of 2013 and to redirect those funds for the procurement of renewable energy and energy efficient street lights, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said yesterday.

The streetlights will be assigned to highways,  townships and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.  These efforts are in line with Government’s thrust for a ‘green’ state, the release said.

The grant, to the sum of US $2,938, 871, was made available to National Hardware (Guyana) Limited under the JNPGA in 2013, for the purchase of goods and services to facilitate the company’s contribution to national economic and social development. The release said that the funds were intended to be utilised for the importation of products, such as civil engineering equipment and other machinery that would aid in Government’s development efforts. However, the release said that after the first phase, the company notified the Ministry of Finance that it was no longer interested in participating in the Grant Aid Programme which resulted in a remainder of US$1,330,000.

Cabinet also agreed that Guyana and Japan would mutually agree on a list of energy efficient and renewable energy equipment that would be procured by the Japan International Cooperation System on behalf of the Government here.