(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The business community and hoteliers in Belize will benefit from two one-day seminars on effective use of solar energy to be facilitated by the Caribbean Regional Energy Development Programme (CREDP) of the CARICOM Secretariat on 3-4 October, 2007 at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina in Belize City.

CREDP facilitators will seek to introduce hoteliers to the benefits of using solar water heaters for their properties, introduce the Belize business community to CARICOM region solar water heater manufacturers, and explore business opportunities for the sale of solar water heaters in Belize.

Organised in tandem with the Belize Hotel Association and the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, CREDP is also facilitating solar water heater manufacturers from Barbados, Dominica and St. Lucia to travel to Belize to participate in the Seminars.

The first seminar on October 3, titled Market Opportunities for Solar Water Heaters in Belize will see participants from the business community benefiting from several presentations by solar water heater manufacturers, as well as from a presentation by University of the West Indies Professor Dr. I. Haraksingh, who will introduce them to the use of Solar Water Heating and Solar Energy.

The second seminar on October 4, titled Solar Water Heaters and the Hotel Sector will engage local hoteliers in presentations and discussions from solar water heater manufacturers on the benefits to be gained from using solar heating in their hotels.

The opening ceremony will be addressed by Dr. Roland Clarke, Project Manager, CREDP.