LETTER OF THE DAY - Advice for Minister Mullings

THE EDITOR, Sir:

An open letter to Energy and Mining Minister Clive Mullings.

I propose the following:

1. The engagement of all stakeholders in the energy sector, including commercial, industrial, manufacturing and educational institutions, in deciding on the appropriate energy-resource mix and the respective timelines for the development and implementation of these resources. A weighted analysis matrix is a useful tool for this; however, extreme care must be taken in deciding both the categories and the weights to ensure that you are not biasing the process to achieve desired results.

2. In the engagement of the stakeholders, determine whether any prior studies or investigations were conducted and the findings thereof, so that you can capitalise on former engagements and knowledge bases. No need to reinvent the wheel or to dismiss plans of other entities.

3. Let there be a correct frame of reference that governs all the discussions. It might be useful to distribute to all concerned, copies of the recent World Bank Report - Jamaica Unlocking Growth - Country Economic Memorandum (summary version), and also an article by the Chinese ambassador in the Observer dated October 27, 2010 ('China remains opposed to binding GHG emissions targets' prior to any meetings. The World Bank report will give the reader a perspective of our nation and the ambassador's article will provide a window to the thinking and deciding factors of the world's second-largest economy.

4. Immediately engage the contractor general to keep him abreast of all developments and to see whether any legal fast-tracking can take place to expedite the procurement processes.

5. If not complete, expedite the electricity-generating energy subpolicy. This should be available and studied prior to any final decisions being made as all decisions will either affect or are targeted toward this energy utility.

6. Make it an inviolable standard to do the right thing (not what is expeditious), except that you must be fast in determining both what is right and in its execution.

7. Plan at all times with the end in mind. Start with what is the desired energy cost that would make us globally competitive, examine the resources and see what will achieve this and in the respective timeline and with what adverse effects (the environment, for example). Several factors must be included: shipping costs, markets/availability, safety, adaptability, to name a few. This is where the use of the weighted matrix will help. Determine the trade-offs, see how the gap will be met if utilising a more expensive resource (i.e., what will compensate to make or keep us competitive), always keeping in mind Vision 2030.

8. Implement.

PHILLIP THOMAS

Kingston