The ‘Solar Express’ comes to town

Barbadians and visitors now have a new mode of transportation available to them to see and explore historic Bridgetown and its Garrison.

This as the Small Business Association (SBA) yesterday launched its Solar Transportation Project – Solar Express. This comes prior to the official start of the First Citizens SBA Week 2017, which begins on September 24.

SBA Chief Executive Officer, Lynette Holder, explained that the Project is funded in part by the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) of United National Development Programme (UNDP). The vehicles being used are “two 10-seater solar electric vehicles” which will “work as solar inner city shuttles that offer historic tours of Bridgetown, and these tours will be offered to commuters, visitors, locals alike”.

She further outlined that the aim of the project is not only to assist with the reduction of traffic congestion in The City, but “to educate at least 100 businesses in Bridgetown on the UN Global Compact Programme and to encourage them to engage in innovations that would make their businesses sustainable.”

She additionally said the initiative seeks to increase the awareness of sustainable transportation and increase the awareness of the history of Bridgetown. She added the medium- to long-term goal of the project is to encourage Barbadians to “consider this type of transport for their commuting in Bridgetown”.

“We are going to outreach to some 500 institutions including our schools, a number of NGOs, hotels, groups, asso-ciations based in Bridgetown and its
environs,” she added.

Also addressing the launch, GEF/SGP Subregional Associate Programme Officer with the UNDP, Tamaisha Eytle, reminded the audience in National Heroes Square that “climate change mitigation is the responsibility of all of us and the Solar Express demonstrates a necessary innovation to make a small step to reducing our carbon footprint”.
She said at present there are “about 57 projects under the GEF Small Grants Programme here in Barbados and we also have projects under the OECS in seven different countries”. She further noted that Barbados is the first to have this type of solar transportation.

“We have seen examples of this lovely initiative in the Pacific, Latin America and Asia, but this is the first Transport Project for the GEF Small Grants Programme in Barbados and it is the leading project of its kind in the Caribbean.”

Eytle also stated that “the Solar Express exemplifies the continued transformation of Barbados towards a green economy. It recognises a shift not only
to environmental sustainability, but improvement of livelihoods through enhanced business opportunities but urban accessibility. This is only the beginning of Barbados’ goal and commitment to become the most environmentally advanced green country in Latin America and the Caribbean”.