THE highest sales in the history of natural gas for the National Petroleum Corporation (NPC) were recorded in 2016.
This was revealed by NPC Chairman Noel Greenidge as he delivered brief remarks at a joint Christmas Luncheon for the NPC, the Barbados National Oil Company Group and the Division of Energy and Telecommunications yesterday afternoon.
Speaking at the event which was held at picturesque Mahogany Ridge in St. James, Greenidge further revealed that the company has also sustained an efficiency of 93 and 94 per cent, and was able to amicably settle the negotiations with both Unions in an attempt to honour its commitment to the staff.
He recalled that it was just two years ago that the NPC and the BNOCL were faced with the challenge of providing natural gas to meet the demands of the customers. “Wise persons before us stated that life’s challenges only made us stronger. The past events were opportunities for signals of improvement. Just light bulbs to develop strategies for the future.”
Greenidge warned however, that a business as usual approach will lead to the demise of the company. “Because a company without growth will die and without a precise strategy will get lost.”
With market threats and other challenges, he noted that the NPC’s supply portfolios have undergone a change. “We need to compete in a world where we maximise our new opportunities and our operations. Change is necessary for us to survive.”
To this end, he revealed that the Division is looking at new policies and collectively have been reviewing its operational strategies to maximise synergies.
Energy and Telecommunications Minister, Senator Darcy Boyce, stressed the importance of energy and telecommunications in Barbados, noting that they cut across all other sectors of the economy.
“It is important that we do very well, because if we do badly we are going to cause other areas of the society and economy to do badly. So we have to continue to do the very best we can and every year look to improve our performance. It is quite good now, but... I always have some other ideas I want to see implemented, I am sure you will hear about them early in the New Year.”
Minister Boyce thanked the staff for their work while urging them not to rest on their laurels. “Do not for a minute slacken because the country cannot afford for energy and telecommunications not to deliver in this country,” he said. (JH)
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