Geothermal energy is a renewable source of energy without the waste and pollution of burning fossil fuels and depleting the Earth's resources. The Caribbean is very rich in Geothermal options to extract and create electricity well beyond the means of most Islands in the Caribbean.

Two of the currently underway projects are located in Nevis and Saba, both Volcanic Islands, that show very promising productions coming online in 2008 and 2009 by far surplussing their own electricity needs.

It is shameful to see that an Island such as St. Maarten, rather invests in Diesel engines to generate electricity and will be at the mercy of oil prices and their depleting source, than to co-invest into an pollution free but foremost renewable source of energy.

Many years ago Caricom countries like St. Lucia, Dominica and Barbados already set up an energy policy with a vision for a substantial part of renewable energy which was stimulated by the World Bank. In the same time St. Maarten decided (adhoc) to invest in diesel generators but there was never a political discussion about a vision for the future. It is easy to blame the politicians but the voters in St. Maarten are in general happy if a commissioner can do a personal favor for them in stead of a community favor. We should have had an energy policy many years ago as result of a fierce battle in the Island Council, but for some reason there is not enough commitment to these kind of important community developments.

 Now we have suddenly a chance and the board of Gebe and politicians keep quite and do not even have the decency to respond to this company, who requested in May 2008 Gebe to look into joining them and buy this relatively cheap and clean energy. It would have been logical to join Saba in their research into this source and then take a decision.  It could even be decided to have partly geothermal energy and the rest solar and wind. But it is not that easy because Gebe and (thus) the Government maneuvered themselves in a very difficult position  as they bought (against advise of all kind of reports from reputable institutions)  these expensive generators. During the Eco-Expo Kerry Mcdonald told the audience (unfortunately no politicians present) that St. Maarten could lose an important connection if they do not decide soon as his company will prepare a different kind of connection when only the French Side joins the project. See for yourself what it is about by downloading the following powerpoint presentation.

Download here (25 MB)