Sporting a red Knapsack which carried the light-bulbs, the Prime Minister visited several homes in the Richland Park area where he personally replaced incandescent bulbs with energy-saving ones.

The Prime Minister said he decided to get involved in the project in this personal way so as to identify with the exercise since it is an excellent project. He expressed satisfaction with the response of Vincentians to the project so far, noting that the vast majority of persons have accepted light-bulbs. To those who however refused the bulbs, the Prime Minister urged them to accept bulbs since the programme is one for their benefit.

The Prime Minister thanked the Cuban Government for partnering with the Government of St.Vincent and the Grenadines on the project noting that it is yet another successful joint venture between them.

Some 250 thousand light-bulbs were donated to this country by the Cuban Government to be distributed in the exercise. As part of a wider energy conservation thrust, Government is also moving ahead with plans to increase taxes on incandescent energy guzzling light-bulbs while removing taxes on the more efficient energy saving light-bulbs.

The British and Australian Governments have been meeting with manufacturers and distributors of bulbs in an effort to have only energy saving bulbs being used in those countries by 2010. Energy saving bulbs have several advantages over incandescent ones, they have a longer life, and they consume less electricity and are more environmentally friendly.