BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – DIRECTOR of Speedtech Energy (St. Kitts & Nevis) Ltd., Linkon Maynard has rubbished allegations made by Team Unity candidate for East Basseterre, Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd.
At a Team Unity public meeting in Cayon last evening (Jan. 11), Liburd insinuated that nepotism and corruption are present in the arrangement between Speedtech Energy Ltd. and the St. Christopher Air and Seaports Authority.
“...But the arrangement between St. Christopher Air and Seaports Authority is something we need to question. Because, you see, the Director of Speedtech, it had one Director and his name is Linkon Maynard.
“Linkon ‘Contenda’ Maynard was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ports Authority. I am asking Linkon ‘Contenda’ Maynard, ‘When did you resign or when were you moved, or whatever the disposition from the Port Authority? Did you sign the agreement that Speedtech has with the Port Authority while you were Chairman?’ Because we believe the Port is generating its own electricity, but the arrangement is not with the Port Authority.
“Speedtech provides or sells energy to SKELEC. SKELEC pays Speedtech for the energy it generated at the Ports Authority. It goes from the solar farm of the Ports Authority at the airport right onto the SKELEC grid, and SKELEC pays Speedtech for the energy developed there from the solar farm. And I am fully well aware that all the Port gets from Speedtech is rent for the use of the land where the solar panels are...”
Speaking with WINN FM’s Andre Huie about the allegations, Maynard said: “I know I am a citizen of St. Kitts. I have grown up in St. Kitts. I spent three years outside of St. Kitts, but I have always been in St. Kitts. So, I don’t understand where nepotism could be associated with this, whether or not I am involved. I just don’t understand what they are talking about!
“I don’t understand what is the accusation, really, on Linkon Maynard with respect to anything that the Government is doing with respect to the renewable energy programme, which has been going very successfully. I think all we have to concentrate on is that the Government has pledged to ensure that we can wean ourselves of the use of diesel fuel to generate electricity.”
Maynard said he is no longer on the Ports Authority Board of Directors, as he was not reappointed, and that he could not recall if Speedtech Energy was registered while he was the Board’s Chairman.
He also explained what have so far been accomplished in the generation of solar energy and some of the future plans concerning the production of electricity.
“We have started...I put in a solar farm at the airport, where we have started by trying to get as many households as possible with solar panels to supply electricity. We are trying to encourage windmills to generate electricity, we are showing a programme whereby we would be able in the future get some of our base load from geothermal, and now a second solar farm.
