Usage of energy-saving bulbs dims - report

FEWER energy-saving light bulbs are being used by Jamaicans, according to information contained in the 2009 Survey of Living Conditions (SLC).

The report found that there was a 4.4 per cent reduction in the use of fluorescent bulbs.

This is despite the implemen-tation of a $276-million Cuban light-bulb programme, which involved the replacement of incandescent bulbs with fluore-scent bulbs.

The SLC stated that the reduction in the number of fluorescent bulbs being used might be influenced by "the suspension in the Cuban light-bulb programme and the costs of the energy-saving bulbs, which are relatively expensive".

Under the Cuban light-bulb programme, the Government of Jamaica secured thousands of energy-saving fluorescent lamps to replace incandescent ones in households islandwide.

However, the programme was suspended in 2007 after former government minister Kern Spencer, who was in charge of imple-menting the project, was accused of improperly benefiting from the programme. Spencer remains before the courts on corruption charges.