In a bid to speed up the delivery timeline, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last week said he would be meeting with the Indian manufacturer for an update on the solar panels ordered for indigenous households.
Speaking with Toshaos and Community Development Council leaders last week at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Jagdeo assured them that the panels will be distributed to households as part of the government’s commitment.
Jagdeo explained the 30,000 units, which are bigger than those previously distributed, faced a delay due to the pandemic and backed up orders.
“It is an important task. It is a promise we made, but because of the delivery schedule and it coming from India it is taking some time,” he said, as he sought to assure the village leaders of households receiving the solar panels.
Jagdeo said he would be looking to meet with the manufacturers on the sidelines of his official engagement in India this week and work to have them accelerate the delivery.
The solar panels are expected to arrive in the country sometime this year.
President Irfaan Ali, just after taking office in 2020, at the launch of the Amerindian heritage month celebration, had announced US$10 million would be allocated for solar panels in indigenous communities.
Ali had said that one of the first tasks he undertook as President was to work with the Vice President, who has responsibility for finance, to reprogramme resources to bring back the solar panels programme to Amerindian households. He also addressed the return of the one laptop programme in their communities and electricity.
The project includes the installation of 30,000 150-watt solar panels, and provision of batteries and lighting kits.
