Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

To a greener future! Historic Solar Tree dedicated

The OPV Solar Tree planted in the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park in Road Town was officially dedicated to a greener future for the Virgin Islands on August 10, 2020.

According to the stakeholders responsible for the project, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, it is the hope the solar tree will be used with dignity and pride by those who find it useful to charge electronic devices, use as a background for a photo shoot or relax in its shade.

The two main stakeholders of the project, the Rotaract club of Tortola and Green VI, were applauded for their initiative by Government at a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday.

A step in the ‘right direction’


Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5) and Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) were given the honour of cutting the bio-degradable ribbon made of coconut branches.

Present also was City Manager Mrs Janice E. L. Brathwaite-Edwards.

Giving brief remarks, Hon Wheatley commented: “I heard about this project, probably it must be six months ago, so I know it took a lot to get to this point here today and a lot of effort … its about a small step but a very important and a very significant step in the right direction.”

In similar fashion, Hon Rymer underscored the significance of the solar tree and urged persons to do their best at utilising it with care.

‘A positive thing’


City Manager Mrs Brathwaite-Edwards was full of energy and excitement about the project, stating, “A solar tree in Noel Lloyd Park! What an entity to be in at this particular time. We knew that we could have put it anywhere but I am glad we put it here because since it has been commissioned I have seen people using it, so that is a positive thing and it will encourage more people to come to the park.”

Mrs Brathwaite-Edwards was even encouraging of another solar tree being placed in the park.

“We could take a second one in the park, keep that in mind green VI.”

Start of a trend


Immediate Past President of the Rotaract Club of Tortola, Ms Khoyisha Stoutt explained that the project stated over a year ago when herself and Board entered a partnership with Green VI, exploring possibilities of executing a series of events and projects that would create a lasting impact on Rotaractors and the Virgin Islands community.

“During the year, Green VI presented at both Rotaract Tortola and Rotary Tortola's general meeting. Rotaractors had a site tour at the recycling plants, and fast forward to July 25th, we installed the first OPVTree in the BVI, which is also the first of its kind in the Caribbean,” Ms Stoutt stated.

She said the OPV Solar Tree symbolises hope for a greener VI and World, “Because now is the time for us to increase our use of alternative energy. I trust that this OPV Tree will not be the first and only, but I hope that it will start the trend for the use of more OPV energy in the BVI and Caribbean.”

Sponsors


The project was made possible by Sunew and Green VI with sponsorship of various forms from the Ministry of Transportation, Wickhams Cay Development Authority, the City Manager’s Office, BVI Ports Authority, Rotary Club of Tortola, Creque's Engineering Services, ATEC BVI, Abbi E. Christopher, David Norris, Big Josh Towing and Trucking, EnS Heavy Equipment and Trucking, Sky is the Limit Trucking and Virgin Islands Productions.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
×