December 5, 2025
For Prime Minister of Guyana, the Hon Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, the CARICOM Energy Month (CEM) 2025 Kilo Walk on Saturday, 29 November, had a “powerful two-fold purpose.”
“We walked to strengthen our physical and mental health, and we walked to inspire the kind of behavioural change that supports our Region’s transition to a prosperous, sustainable low-carbon energy future.”
The Prime Minister, who has the energy portfolio in Guyana, joined approximately three hundred people who turned out for the early morning trek that began and ended at the CARICOM Secretariat’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. The 2025 Regional Kilo Walk was the final activity of the CEM, organised by the Secretariat, in collaboration with the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA).
Among the participants were CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Elizabeth Solomon; Guyana Energy Agency Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mahender Sharma; the GIZ Regional Energy and Transport Coordinator, NDC-TEC Project in the Caribbean, Dr. Neibert Blair; members of the Diplomatic Corps, winners of the CARICOM Women In Sustainable Energy (WISE) and the Sustainable Energy Youth Award (SEYA) and representatives of government agencies, development partners, youth groups, the private sector and academia.
Addressing participants at the end of the activity, the Prime Minister acknowledged that the walk was symbolic, intentional and urgent in promoting the efficient and effective use of energy.
Pointing out that energy lies at the heart of the Region’s sustainable development, Prime Minister Phillips said, “Our Caribbean Community is one of the world’s richest regions in terms of our natural resources. Renewable energy, whether solar, wind, hydropower or biomass, enables us to invest in our people, our economies and our future. It reduces emissions, lowers electricity costs, strengthens energy security and expands economic opportunity for all.”
He called for a personal commitment of the participants and the Community’s populace “to conserve energy where we can, to support the transition to clean and renewable energy and more efficient technologies, to reduce waste and protect our natural environment; to listen, learn and educate others, to prioritise our physical and mental wellbeing; to advocate for a sustainable, climate resilient and low carbon Caribbean Community.”
Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary-General, Foreign and Community Relations, who spoke on behalf of Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General, commended the participants of the walk and expressed gratitude to the partnering agencies that made it possible.
She said the walk was “a symbol of our shared commitment to building a cleaner, more resilient and energy secure Region.”
The Assistant Secretary-General said that the walk, though short, serves as a reminder that the journey toward a sustainable future begins with small, everyday actions that reduce energy consumption, protect the environment and strengthen the foundation of the Community.
Dr. Neibert Blair, representing major partner, GIZ , also spoke of the importance of the kilo walk , agreeing that is represents much more than physical activity. It highlights, she said, unity and step-by-step progress to achieve energy security and climate resilience, persistence, collective action and celebrating achievement.
CEM, which ended on 30 November, was held under the theme `Invest, Innovate, Sustain: Leading the Charge in Renewable Energy Frontiers’. Activities included a series of webinars, an electric vehicle expo, engagement with tertiary-level students, and the commemoration of No Iron Day each Friday of the month.
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Caption for main photo:
Prime Minister of Guyana, the Hon. Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips (2nd, left) and Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon and participants during the CARICOM Energy Month 2025 Kilo Walk.
