(CARCIOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Regional manufacturers of solar water heaters and other stakeholders of the solar heating industry will participate in a three-day workshop at the Divi Southwinds Hotel in Barbados.

The workshop, from 27-29 February 2008, will be facilitated by the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.

The forum is the second in a series that is part of the process to develop a regional vocational qualification to certify the competency of persons involved in solar water heater installation and maintenance.

The HEART Trust/NTA of Jamaica and the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council of Barbados will collaborate to develop the Occupational Standards for Installation and Maintenance of solar water heaters that will be used across the Region.

Workshop participants will include solar water heater manufacturers from Barbados, Dominica and St. Lucia. Local tertiary and vocational education institutions will also be in attendance.

At the end of the process it is hoped that by having certified technicians across the Region, manufacturers will be able to expand their markets to areas where currently there is a lack of skilled persons to adequately install and maintain their equipment. This will also provide an even higher level of satisfaction to prospective customers who will have increased surety of competent persons to install and service their systems.

Senator, the Hon. Darcy Boyce, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs & Development and Energy, will deliver the feature address at the opening ceremony. Dr. Roland Clarke, Project Manager of the CREDP, will chair the proceedings.