A recent Jamaica Observer editorial opined that:
"The Leucaena plan, referred to in some parts of the world as the 'miracle tree' and in Jamaica as the 'wild tamarind', has been used to produce energy as well as animal feed. Had we stuck with that project, rather than pull back when oil prices dropped, our annual oil importation bill would be much less than the more than US$2 billion it is today...further encouraging the Government to give serious thought to the Leucaena project, which was established in response to the energy crisis of the late 1970s.

At the height of the project, companies such as Enerplan Limited — formed by Jamaican scientists Drs Dennis Minott, Cynthia Lewis, Alwyn Hayles and Brian Silvera — were making much use of the plant. They had even got to the stage of fermenting the Leucaena to form a gas that can be used as a power source.

Ambassador Blake ( former Caricom assistant secretary general), who saw the benefits of the Leucaena project and gave it strong support, told us that in 1983 a Caribbean Energy Action Plan was agreed on and taken to the then Caribbean Group for Co-operation in Economic Development, which used to be co-ordinated by the World Bank.

"When we took the plan there they said 'beautiful plan', but they had no resources to support it because energy was no longer a priority; which really means it was no longer a priority for the United States," Ambassador Blake said.

"All our countries, despite our appeal to them, bought into that international statement of the problem and we began to resile and, of course, once that happens it becomes more difficult for you to resume," added Ambassador Blake as he lamented the decision by Caribbean governments to move away from the project because they believed that the price of oil would have remained low.

We have, in the past, commented on government inaction or indecision resulting in missed opportunities that could benefit the peoples of this region.
This issue of alternative energy is one area in which Caricom governments have engaged in the usual knee-jerk reaction whenever the price of oil rises, only to retreat at the first sign of a decrease in costs.
(Jamaica Observer: Don't Ignore the Leucaena Project-Jan 3, 2013)

Youtube Links:
Miracle Tree Overview:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zOfTLbCHIE

Miracle Tree: The Jamaican Connection in Renewable Energy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5lR-AKCtf0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Vy9f6FrG4