If residents look closely at the budget, they will notice a capital expenditure on Anegada, Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering said today at the start of the House of Assembly’s budget debate.
The funds will go towards establishing a four-acre solar farm, which Dr. Pickering said will be capable of powering the entire island at a fraction of the cost of the present diesel-fuelled generator system.
Work on the farm could start as early as the first quarter of next year, he said, depending on how quickly the tendering process goes.
Once Anegadians have the solar farm, Dr. Pickering said, the island will get its own fishing complex so local fishers have a place to sell their fish or lobster.
His vision for Anegada extends well into the future, with a plan to dig for underground springs of freshwater, which he said can be used to irrigate “cash crops” such as pumpkins or melons, and eventually to help support a black-belly sheep population on the island.
The water can also be used to irrigate a golf course on the island, Dr. Pickering said, calling a golf course a possible future investment.
Dr. Pickering was the first legislator to speak in the budget debate, which is set to continue this afternoon and tomorrow.
See the Dec. 20, 2012 edition for full coverage of the budget debate.
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