Energy powerhouse! - New-look LNG steering committee coming

Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

Three private-sector powerhouses have been added to the Government's liquefied natural gas (LNG) steering committee.

Special adviser to the prime minister, Dr Carlton Davis, has confirmed that Chris Bicknell, Hugh Hart and Dr Vin Lawrence have accepted invitations to serve on the steering committee.

But Davis was unable to say if any of the other members who were appointed to the committee during the Bruce Golding administration had been retained.

The Ministry of Energy was also unable to provide that information stating that a recommendation for the members of the committee has been submitted to the Cabinet for consideration but no decision has been made.

"Given what I know of how critical this thing is to the Jamaican economy ... I insisted on having a strong team. I said you know, it's time to put my money where my mouth is. So I asked him (Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell) and he has agreed to put a team on energy in place," said Davis who was appointed to chair the steering committee following the resignation of Chris Zacca.

"Chris Bicknell, Vin Lawrence and Hugh Hart are very experienced business people, and we are really coming down to the business end of this thing. I was delighted when all three agreed to serve," added Davis

Hart, a lawyer, has a solid record in public and private sectors, as well as Bicknell, who is the group CEO and financial manager of Tank-Weld.

Lawrence served for a long time as chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and is the current chairman of Clarendon Alumina Production Limited.

The steering committee appointed by Golding also included Dr Wayne Henry, Annmarie Rhoden, Fitzroy Vidal of the Ministry of Energy, Sonia Mitchell from the Office of the Prime Minister and Paris Lyew-Ayee, among others.

It was completed by private-sector leaders Richard Byles, Howard Mitchell and Peter Melhado.

The LNG steering committee is expected to complete all its work by the end of 2012 and to have LNG infrastructure and supplies in place by 2014.