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ST GEORGE’S, Grenada -- Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has described a recent energy meeting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as “rewarding,” saying Grenada will be seeking support from IRENA in ongoing efforts at utilizing more renewable energy sources in the country.

Thomas, who returned home on the weekend, led a Grenada delegation that included Tourism and Culture Minister, Dr George Vincent.

A government news release, in announcing the prime minister’s departure for the UAE, where he addressed the World Energy Forum, described him as someone who “has emerged as a world leader on the issue of sustainable development and the green economy”.

In his conference address in the UAE, Thomas outlined some of the renewable energy initiatives embarked upon by Grenada.

“I think it was a very rewarding trip,” Thomas told Grenadian journalist, Michael Bascombe, in an airport interview at JFK, New York.

“From Grenada’s perspective, we put forward our position as to what we are doing in terms of renewable energy,” Thomas said. “We referred to the wind-energy project in Carriacou; we’re looking at geothermal energy; and also we’ve been looking at solar.”

It’s not just Grenada but the entire world is considering greater use of renewable energy, the Grenadian leader said.

“All nations are looking at ways of reducing the carbon footprint; to reduce the use of fossil fuel and to utilize renewable energy,” he explained. “Clean energy is where the world is heading.”

According to the prime minister, Grenada will seek help from IRENA – the International Renewable Energy Agency.

IRENA, an intergovernmental organisation founded in 2009 in Germany, and dedicated to renewable energy, aims to “promote the widespread and increased adoption and the sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy”.

Grenada, said Thomas, is “going to take advantage of all the opportunities that exist; in particular, whatever support and assistance we can obtain from IRENA in terms of training and in terms of projects to enhance what we are doing in promoting renewable energy in Grenada.”

Thomas, as part of the UAE trip, visited the Mazda Institute in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

“That institute sets out specifically to train persons at the master’s and doctorate levels to look at technologies and other ways of utilizing renewable energy. It was quite a good experience,” Thomas said. “We recognize that not only we, in the Caribbean, but the entire world is looking at renewable energy.”

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Ian Francis, Toronto,Ontario:

Mr Prime Minister:

It is obvious in your capacity as Prime Minister of Grenada, being in the UAE would have surely afforded you many opportunities as the UAE treats Heads very well.

However, given the suffering and oppression of Grenadians by your government, they are looking for positive news.

What did you get from the UAE that would improve the economic situation. Grenada's role in Energy is limited and since your government recently signed an energy agreement with Trinidad, it is important to allow and facilitate initiatives around the agreement.

There is no need for Grenada to be seen as a grasshopper.

Therefore, Grenadians are not interested in who you saw; where you visited and why Sandy ran you from New York.

Tell us what you got; where will it be spent and did you take it back or was promised.

You need to be more transparent and accountable given Parliament's PROROGATION.

Oh Prime Minister, Grenadians expect better

Winston Strachan:

Thanks Ian; at least you understand the suffering and hardship our people back in the homeland have to endure on a daily basis.

Quite frankly our Prime Minister and his Cabinet seems to totally blind to the plight of our people. They are just intent on spending the next 10 months or so collecting their salaries. Our country is in deep, deep financial hole; unemployment is has spiral out of control; Thomas has come back from his middle east safari it would seem with an empty bowl and all he has to tell his people is a whole lot of nothing. God knows something has to be done in Grenada very soon to halt the mess the country is in.