The Caribbean Utility Model: A Drive Towards Sustainability And Resilience

Martyn Forde is as energy and knowledge management consultant with over 10 years of experience working in energy and climate change in the Caribbean. Mr. Forde assists clients with project management and the development of energy leadership and capacity strengthening activities. He is the Community Leader of the CARILEC Renewable Energy Community (CAREC) at the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC). CAREC is a utility-led CoP designed for the 1300+ members to share energy resilience, and disaster recovery best-practices for utilities in Caribbean jurisdictions. Learning activities and tools produced include webinars, virtual working groups, online forums, technical reports, a repository of procurement templates, technology workshops, and annual conferences.

Mr. Forde is also the host and organizer of the CAREC Resilient Power 2020 series launched in May. The series is aimed to demonstrate leadership of Caribbean utility professionals during covid19, disaster management and how jurisdictions are driving their transition to low carbon infrastructure.

He leads knowledge management and the design of Communities of Practice (CoP) for the Empowering Clean Economies program at the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). Forde holds a Master’s in Geography and Environmental studies from the University of Toronto, with a research focus on Climate Change, Carbon-Free Technology, Environmental Resource Management and Sustainable Tourism Planning. In particular, his research explored how to create renewable energy transitions for the hotel industry of Barbados and other island nations.

As Executive Director, Dr. Bertin leads a team of twelve, ensuring that the Secretariat’s role of advocacy on electric utilities and energy issues is effectively executed, advising the board on aspects of CARILEC’s operations and developing and maintaining good working relationships with utility executives, regional decision-makers, business community leaders, and interest groups.His accomplishments in the Public Sector, ICT and Telecommunications, Management of Change and Innovation, Institutional Strengthening, Capacity Building and Research, over the last twenty years, are most relevant to the CARILEC mission and vision, particularly in light of the significant transformation of the energy sector at this time.He has delivered presentations at various regional and international seminars and conferences, worked in academia,- lecturing and authoring several articles, papers and book chapters-, and completed high level consultancy assignments for various organizations, including electricity utilities in the Caribbean region, governments, universities, corporations and multi-lateral institutions such as the OECS Secretariat, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs (UNDESA), the European Union Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Bank. Dr Bertin is a Saint Lucian and possesses a B.Sc. Management Studies (Hons.) from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus; a M.Sc. Management Studies (Information Systems specialization), from UWI St. Augustine Campus; and a Ph.D. Information Systems and Change Management, City University Business School, London, UK.

Mr. Leroy A.E. Abraham is the General Manager/CEO of the British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation (BVIEC), a position he has held since 2000. The BVI Electricity Corporation is the primary distributor of electricity in the British Virgin Islands providing service to 12 different islands. During his over thirty years tenure at the company, Mr. Abraham held a number of key positions, including Operations Engineer and Transmission & Distribution Engineer. Under his leadership, BVIEC has undergone numerous transitions towards its goals of being a regional leader in the electric utility business. Mr. Abraham holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts. He is a Chartered Engineer, and Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology in the United Kingdom. He is also the vice chairman and current Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC).

Andrew joined the Pacific Power Association Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, in April 2009, as the Senior Adviser - Power Sector, a position which was funded by the U.S. Department of Interior. Andrew Daka joined the Pacific Power Association after 22 years with the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (now Solomon Power) where he served in various technical positions and was appointed General Manager in 2006.

He was appointed Executive Director of the Pacific Power Association in March 2011.

Andrew Daka is a graduate of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology, Lae, Papua New Guinea and the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Roger Blackman is the Managing Director of Barbados Light & Power Company Limited (BL&P), a position he has held since July 2016. He has served BL&P and its parent company Emera Inc. in increasingly senior roles over the past 29 years. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Dominica Electricity Services (DOMLEC), St Lucia Electricity Services (LUCELEC) and the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC). Roger holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and an MBA from Durham University. He is a member and Past President of the Barbados Association of Professional Engineers.

Ruth Forbes was appointed as President and CEO of FortisTCI in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) effective August 2020. She stands as one of the few female CEOs in the utility sector serving the Caribbean region.

Prior to this appointment, Mrs. Forbes was Senior Vice President of Corporate Services, Chief Financial Officer, and Company Secretary. With over 14 years of experience in utilities, she has had oversight of several business functions including finance, internal audit, legal, customer service, corporate communications, human resources, and supply chain management.

Mrs. Forbes spearheaded the “Investors in People Certification” initiative at FortisTCI and led the company to become the first to receive such designation in the TCI. She also led the FortisTCI’s first US Private Placement Financing Transaction and its inaugural credit rating initiative with S&P (BBB). FortisTCI is the first private company in TCI to achieve Investor Grade Credit Rating.

Mrs. Forbes has a Diploma in Business Administration (Honors) from University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Barry University, Florida, USA. She successfully completed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examinations in 2003 and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) in 2014.

She serves as a Director on the board of FortisOntario, a sister utility of FortisTCI, which are both subsidiaries of Fortis Inc. She is a former Director of the Turks and Caicos Airports Authority Board and Turks and Caicos National Insurance Board. She is also a devout philanthropist and founder of “Jewels Ablaze” a not-for-profit organization geared at mentoring, developing and supporting young women in the community.