Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams presenting Blake Belgrave with his third place prizes from the Ministry of Energy’s Colouring Competition while Class Teacher Troy Herbert looks on. (S. Forde/BGIS)

Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams, is encouraging students to enter educational competitions and dream big.

Addressing the morning assembly at Good Shepherd Primary, Fitts Village, St. James today, Minister Abrahams encouraged the pupils to enter every competition they could, whether the subject matter was on energy, agriculture, water or tourism.

He reminded them that not every time they entered a competition they would win, but by participating they would learn and it would build self-confidence.

Mr. Abrahams also told the students that their vision for Barbados’ future is what would help drive new inventions and help to achieve our sustainable development goals. “Keep dreaming and keep dreaming big; it is only by dreaming big that you are going to achieve great things,” Mr. Abrahams said, as he sought to inspire the children of Good Shepherd Primary.

The Energy Minister also tried to simplify what exactly is renewable energy. He said: “We can get electricity from the sun, water and wind…all of these natural resources can provide electricity, this is what we call renewable energy…it is renewable because it keeps generating and replenishing itself.”

Mr. Abrahams also spoke of Barbados’ goal of becoming 100 per cent carbon neutral by 2030 – an effort to reduce our use of fossil fuels and to provide a clean and quiet environment for our children to grow up in.

“Right now, there are some of you in here who are going to become very good mechanics. Some of you in here will become good at putting on solar panels, and there are some of you in here who will invent things.

“What you know now is only the start of your possibilities… all of you have a chance to try to make Barbados better,” Mr. Abrahams stated.

He also encouraged the pupils to make Barbados a better place by not littering, wasting electricity or water.  “It is up to you young people to actually control the way adults think, and you can encourage everybody around you to practise these habits,” he said.

Infants B student, seven-year-old Blake Belgrave, received a 7” Samsung tablet and two science books for placing third in the Ministry’s Schools’ Colouring competition, held in November last year.

His former teacher Troy Herbert and Principal of the school Wilma McClean, stated that Blake is very disciplined, behaves very well and is quiet.

Acting Chief Geologist, Jamal Gill, who was also present, said that the Ministry is well aware that primary and secondary school students are the future of Barbados and would be responsible for bringing Barbados into the renewable energy age.  “An age where the Ministry is seeking to provide a better energy sector and a clean environment for our kids to grow in,” he stated.

sheena.forde@barbados.gov.bb

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