THE EDITOR: The Minister of Energy recently highlighted the removal of all taxes on electric vehicles as a good first step in our energy transition. I agree, but as with many things in this country it's a step that should have coincided with several others.

Our political leaders are continuously attempting to hit a moving target by aiming at its current location. The developed world isn't sitting still yet we try to catch up with policies to get where they are now. To hit a moving target you need to aim for where it will be, just as we should be targeting where the world will be in ten years - not where it is today.

The new policy is great but lacking. Today a car is almost a necessity to get around yet it is increasingly out of reach for the average person. Most won't be able to afford an electric car anytime soon. If the goal is to transition the transportation sector, this policy will fail to have a significant impact in the near future.

Instead, cities around the world are creating car-free zones and investing in pedestrian, biking and public infrastructure. That's the target we should be aiming for when it comes to transportation. If we decrease the need for cars, the cost of electric cars becomes less important. Removing the fuel subsidy affects fewer people.

Similarly, rather than investing solely in large-scale renewable power plants, we can use the technology to create a smarter grid. We can connect home solar installations to the grid and pay citizens for their excess energy. Again, it's where the world is heading but it's not our target.

Across every sector, we can use today's technology to leapfrog other nations. The Bahamas is doing it with digital currency. Estonia has done it with digital identity. We have the opportunity to be early adopters and innovators as the world transitions. A prosperous future beyond oil and gas depends on it. For once, let's aim for where the world is heading and not where it has been.

KEENEN CHARLES

San Fernando