Cut energy use, finance ministry tells state bodies

PUBLIC BODIES and other agencies of government have been told to reduce their consumption of energy this financial year.

Finance and Public Service Minister Audley Shaw said yesterday the Government would be embarking on an aggressive programme of energy conservation.

Fielding questions from members of the House of Representatives during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee, Shaw said government departments, agencies and ministries would be required to implement strict conservation measures.

Budgetary allocations to a number of government departments this year reflect cuts in amounts set aside for utilities.

However, an additional $1.5 billion is included in the estimates for contingencies to deal with energy costs.

At the start of the last fiscal year, the finance ministry urged public-sector entities to reduce their energy consumption. However, later in the year, Financial Secretary Wesley Hughes told the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee of Parliament that, "Most of the ministries and departments failed to realise the 15 per cent savings in usage that we have targeted."