Bahamas PM Warns, But Does Nothing to Address Climate Risks

by Larry Smith

Ever since Dr Marcus Bethel was named minister for energy and the environment in 2006, during the first Christie administration, we have been hearing about energy reform.

Spurred by the Inter-American Development Bank, Dr Bethel launched the process to draft a national energy policy. The goal was to co-ordinate traditional and alternative technologies to meet future power demand.

At the time, oil prices were skyrocketing. And countries were seeking to expand the role of renewables to avoid economic disruption in the event of a global energy crisis. Pollution and climate change issues also played a major role.

Our initial draft policy was based on an IDB study of the local energy sector, as well as a review of regional policies. And in 2007 I wrote that "by now we should be well on the way with alternative energy incentives, efficiency measures, and demand planning."

But we weren’t.