Japan-funded streetlights to reduce energy costs by 65 percent

Jun 28, 2018 News

– 4,700 already here

Guyana has received a large shipment of LED streetlights which authorities are targeting to help reduce death on the roads.
Yesterday, a consignment of 4,716 energy saving lamps were symbolically handed over to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
According to Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, this will be the first and second shipments of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lamps by the Japanese government, through its Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
During a small ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Road yesterday, Ferguson said that the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and under the Japan Non-Project Grant has provided the Government of Guyana with US$1,330,000 for the procurement of 10,865 Gamma LED street lamps.

Minister Ferguson receiving one of the LED streetlamps from Mitsuhiko Okada, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Guyana,

Sample of what the LED streetlights look like. More than 10,000 of them are coming from Japan under a grant arrangement.

“Since the approval of this project in 2016, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has been working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and JICA to finalize this supply project so that these much-needed lamps would find their way unto the highways, roads, streets and communities that need them the most.”
According to the minister, the first and second shipments involved 4,716 of the lamps which will be installed throughout the 10 administrative regions in the coming weeks and months.
“Several communities will be lit for the first time following the installation of these LED lamp. This transformation will significantly impact our ‘Safer Roads Initiative’ as well as the general public security of the areas.”
The minister noted that when the accident “score sheet” is examined, it is quite evident that the majority of serious and fatal accidents occur after dark.
“The absence of street lights in many of these areas is seen as a major contributing factor.
Our ministry believes that the installation of the more than 7,000 LED lamps along our major roads and highways and 2,000 in communities will result in a reduction of serious crashes, damage to property, fatalities and a greater sense of security in our communities.”
She said that that the transition from HPS (High Pressure Sodium) lamps to energy efficient LED lamps will allow Guyana to enjoy a 65% reduction in its street lighting energy consumption annually.
It will allow Government to dedicate scarce resources to other development areas.
“This project, may I also say, is squarely along the pathway of Guyana’s development towards a Green State. On this occasion of the official handing over ceremony of these LED lamps by His Excellency the High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Japan to Guyana, Mitsuhiko Okada, permit me to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Japan who in spite of their own challenges, continue to show great affection for Guyana.”