Basseterre, St. Kitts (MoPIEUDT News) – In a small but significant prize-giving ceremony at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities, and Domestic Transport on Friday, April 25, 2025, the Hon. Konris Maynard presented awards to two local competitors in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States’ Watt’s Art: Sustainable Energy Meets Creativity Competition.
Launched as part of the festivities of CARICOM Energy Month in November 2024, the competition invited youth from ages 10 to 18 across the sub-region to explore the intersection of art and energy conservation based on the following themes:
- The Power of Renewable Energy in Everyday Life
- Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Energy Future; and
- The Profound Impact of Energy on Our Lives and the Environment
Two outstanding students from St. Kitts and Nevis excelled in this competition. Jaquori Issac received the prestigious People’s Choice Award for his submission, and Rianna Heyliger earned second place.
“The competition aimed to educate young minds about the importance of energy conservation and the sustainable energy options available today. We welcome initiatives like this because they sensitize youth to the energy landscape and familiarize them with the nature of our work to drive the energy transition.”
– Director of the Energy Unit, Dr. Bertill Browne.
Minister Maynard commended the participants for their outstanding performances.
Rianna described her submission with these words:
“The Sustainable Irrigation Cycle is an art piece that delves into the theme of ‘The Power of Renewable Resources.’ It draws inspiration from the theories and current advancements in renewable energy technologies used to harness and optimize natural resources.”
– Rianna Heyliger
Jacquori’s piece, Power Your Life, earned him the People’s Choice Award. He described his piece as follows:
“My piece is a digital drawing depicting a man holding a phone with various methods of electricity generation in my country illustrated in the background. The message I aim to convey is that continued reliance on fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources will degrade the Caribbean environment, draining the vibrancy from our world.”
– Jaquori Isaac
To learn more about the competition, visit OECS.int.
