Energy – From Babble to Action

Sep 07, 2008 Peeping Tom

Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA
Chairman, Vision Guyana

Introduction:

Guyana needs an energy system that is reliable, resilient, fairly and efficiently priced in the future. Energy efficiency needs to be a country’s goal where all of us are cognizant that it is our future. We keep talking about energy, about gas emissions, about our forest, but we are not moving pass the babble to any concrete action.

We have all experienced the rise in our electric bill, we all have had to face the cost of fuel whether we own a car or use public transportation. Reducing energy cost, includes the need to build more capacity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for the most part increasing public awareness of energy issues of everyday efficiency. We all must be aware that everything we consume, from paper to food, requires significant amounts of energy to produce. The price of energy is likely to continue to rise as more expensive supply options are developed. In this column, I will touch on one action item for our government to consider as soon as possible. In future columns, I will describe other new energy approach our nation needs to explore. We need a full time Minister of Energy Portfolio created.

A Light Rail Approach:

We have put out many policy papers on energy diversification for Guyana in the past with a hope that our government will take some of the suggestions and move them into an action approach. Many of us remember the train lines we had, and the efficiency of the rail system. In the quest for modernization, President Burnham ripped up the train lines, while other countries were putting down more. Given the energy crisis, we need to quickly and aggressively install a Light Rail or Tram System.

Recently, the government announced that they will be bringing back public transportation and large buses. This is not the way to go, our roads are already congested and fatalities are record high as compared to our neighbours.

A Light Rail or Tram (Street Car) system can be placed on or beside the roads. Light rail or light rail transit (LRT) is a form of urban rail >public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems.

Proposal:

Put down tracks from Georgetown towards Mahaica where the road now stands that used to house the original rail tracks
Cars can still use half of the road in the direction of rush hour traffic by extending the width of the roads.
Imagine you getting in clean comfortable Tram on your way home from work without the worries that you can be in an accident.
School children can ride for free
On the East Bank and West Coast we can do the same. Obviously a feasibility study will have to determine the best approach

Pictures of the Tram System below.

Conclusion:

Every major city in the world has or is putting in such a system. Cost-effective energy efficiency measures are often a better way of dealing with the demand for more energy. Bringing back big buses that will damage our environment and cost more is not the right answer. Other areas such as a Cargo train to Brazil needs to be explored.

The strong recommendation, is for a light rail transportation system, that is eco friendly, cost efficient, affordable, low maintenance, and reliable. From Brazil to China to major cities in Europe, South and North America, this system is being installed. Let us consider this approach as a on solution for our energy and transportation problems.

Contact [email protected] or www.visionguyana.com