22 technicians receive Retrofitter Licences

Jul 05, 2021 News

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Kaieteur News- Twenty-two young technicians on Wednesday last received their Retrofitter Licences after completing a training exercise at the Government Technical Institute (GTI).
The training which was facilitated by the Hydrometeorological Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, forms part of Guyana’s efforts to eliminate the consumption of ozone-depleting substances through a stepwise phase-out schedule.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, while offering remarks at the simple handing over exercise, was keen to note that the government was working to ensure more environmentally and climate-friendly technologies are utilized in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.
The Minister said, “As a government, we are working to ensure more environmentally and climate-friendly technology is utilized in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. We have, so far, been successful in eliminating some of the gases that have been destroying the ozone layer. We’ve also been advocating for the use of more climate-friendly substances. Climate change is a critical subject that needs to be taken seriously.”
As a developing country, Mustapha said issues surrounding climate change are extremely important as he referenced the current flooding that the nation is trying to grapple with.
Mustapha said, “Rivers have risen and we are experiencing prolonged and more intense rainy seasons. As a people, we should strive to secure our environment. I know that the training that you would’ve received has equipped you with the knowledge to carry out the services needed to add to what government is doing to eliminate the use of those chemicals that continue to pose a threat to our environment.”
Kaieteur News understands that Guyana is currently implementing a programme to phase out Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which is a group of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), primarily used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
At the ceremony, Chief Hydromet Officer, Dr. Garvin Cummings disclosed that for years, the National Ozone Action Unit has been involved in delivering Guyana’s obligation under the Montreal Protocol for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances.
The office said, “For several years, the unit has been involved in delivering Guyana’s obligation under the Montreal Protocol for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances. Guyana has successfully phased out Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and is now in the process of phasing out Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) under the HFC Management Plan Project.”
As the world moves towards a stronger climate and environmental knowledge, Dr. Cummings said new technology is being embraced to address the challenges related to the ozone layer, and also those challenges related to climate change. As the technologies evolve to address the challenges in the environment, Dr. Cummings asserted that the country must also train its people so that they can adequately use these technologies and resources. He added that part of the NOAU’s mandate is to work with the Ministry of Education and the technical institutions to train technicians to utilize technology that are both ozone and climate-friendly.
He further stated that the NOAU in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Cooling Industry, and the Technical Institutes, has been involved in the training of technicians in the Refrigeration and Air Condition (RAC) Sector to upgrade their skills and ensure that they perform their tasks using safe practices.
After undergoing 48-hours of training over a six-week period, technicians would then have to apply to the NOAU for their licences. A Board, consisting of experts from the Refrigeration and Air Condition (RAC) Sector, the Cooling Industry, and the Ministry of Education (Technical), would then evaluate the students, and successful students would later be issued with their Retrofitter Licence.
Guyana became a party to the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances to Deplete the Ozone Layer on 12 August, 1993, and subsequently ratified the London, Copenhagen, and Montreal Amendments on July 23, 1999.
As a party to the Montreal Protocol, Guyana is required to eliminate the consumption of ozone-depleting substances, through a step-wise phase-out schedule. Since the ratification of the Montreal Protocol Guyana has implemented several initiatives to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
So far, there has been an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the Kigali Amendment which has already entered into force, since January 1, 2019. This now focuses on the phase-out of HFCs refrigerants, which, although are Ozone friendly, are known to be greenhouse gases more potent than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Hence RAC Technicians are required to continually upgrade their skills in order to handle the new refrigerants and technology and to prepare technicians to meet and deal with rising challenges that are evident in the cooling and freezing industry.

 

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