CHARLESTOWN, Nevis:  According to Minister of Social Transformation in the Nevis Island Administration, Hensley Daniel, all households will benefit from the energy saving bulbs programme currently ongoing in Nevis.

The group of Cuban social workers before they headed out to carry out the energy saving bulbs programme in the Cades Bay/Westbury areas. Group leader is Ms Aymara Guzman (Front row, fourth right)

The Minister’s announcement came on Tuesday, when he gave a public update on the distribution of the low energy bulbs by Cuban social workers on Nevis Television.

“It must be noted that some of the areas would have to be returned [to for redistribution] as there was an insufficient amount of 110 bulbs to distribute.

“It is expected that this distribution of bulbs would continue for three to four more weeks. Arrangements will be made to provide bulbs to businesses to sell at a cheaper rate,” he said.

The programme commenced on April 13, 2007, with 25 Cuban social workers. Up to May 7, with the assistance of local personnel, a total of 23,000 bulbs had been distributed.

According to Daniel, the NIA had ensured that Nevis received energy saving bulbs from the Cuban government, through the initiative of Premier Joseph Parry, who had held discussions with the Cuban ambassador on behalf of the people of Nevis, because Nevis had not been included in the project prior to the Nevis Reformation Party-led Administration taking up office on July 10, 2006.

He explained that the energy saving bulbs would greatly contribute to the NIA’s energy saving programme but called on consumers to continue to conserve energy.

“You are requested to observe the same energy saving measures such as turning off lights when going to bed and to ensure that lights are not left to burn unnecessarily. In the long term consumers are expected to realize a reduction in the consumption and by extension a reduction in the electricity bill all other things remaining equal. Given the continuing increase in oil prices on the world market, the bulbs have come at the right time to assist consumers in holding down their electricity bills,” he said.

Meantime, head of the Cuban social workers Ms Aymara Guzman told the Department of Information on Wednesday that she was pleased with the progress of the project and complemented Nevisians for their assistance and friendly nature.

“The people here are more helpful, you don’t have to explain too much about the project. People know about the project already and they just say [we] could come into their houses and they are really helpful to us they take off the bulbs. The project is really good here and people have been grateful about what we have been doing here,” she said.

On a lighter note, Guzman said that Nevis’ social life was quieter than they were accustomed to and they looked forward to return home.

“Nevis is too quiet for us, too much silence because we like to listen to music and have parties and things like that but it is okay because what we want to do now is just go back home as soon as possible that is why we are working and working. People are wondering why we don’t have any off day but we don’t want that now, we just want to change all the bulbs and that’s it but its quite good now,” she said.

According to Guzman, up to Wednesday afternoon the group had already replaced in excess of 26,300 bulbs on the island. At the end of the project they hoped to complete a total of 45, 000 bulbs.