ST PETERS, Sint Maarten -– Member of Parliament (MP) Lake stated he has taken note of NV GEBE’s situation and stressed that the electricity company needed to get away from the chaos, and bring back a sense of tranquility and ease within the local company.
NV GEBE’s main problem is the Board needs to put a 5 to 10-year master/business plan in place for the company, which shows a sense of direction and leadership within the company. “I don’t understand as a Board that was put there when I was Minister of VROMI/Shareholder representative, how you can’t hold Management responsible and accountable for executing the vision and projects for the people of St. Maarten,” Lake stated.
“The Board doesn’t need to get into the day to day operations of the company, but set conditions and priorities for Management to execute. Then there has to be a measuring stick in place to see that Management has executed those projects or programs. The Board supervises and Management executes. There has to be some performance mechanism in place to evaluate Management. Even though you have a change in Government, the execution of projects and programs should continue. That change should not impact execution and one cannot use the excuse that they are waiting on government for this and that. You have an approved plan, start executing,” he continued.
“NV GEBE should never have 30 million in carry over projects for every year for the past five years. What type of projects did Management execute for the people? NV GEBE needs to cut back more on waste and start putting checks and balances back into the company. NV GEBE needs to start investing back into the community and its people by Management executing projects.”
“On Guavaberry Road in St. Peters, you have people carrying buckets of water up to their home in 21st century St. Maarten because of lack of water pressure. Why is this happening today? Imagine NV GEBE has this water tank project for upgrading Guavaberry Hill road with the land owner’s approval on the budget for the past four years. Why didn’t Management execute this project? Street lights are also needed along this particular road for safety and security of the residents in the area. I did a walk through this particular area on Sunday with several of the residents,” the MP stated.
“NV GEBE has to start putting their employees first by increasing the budget for training and development. NV GEBE should never have social activities and events reserved on the budget, which is more than training and development for employees. There also needs to be organizational integrity. You can’t have people leaking information. We need checks and balances in place in order to bring back tranquility within the company.”
“I would like to see NV GEBE purchase land for a branch office in the Saunders/St. Peters area so that this project can commence within short. Also putting a branch office in Belvedere by the St. Maarten Housing Foundation Offices. We need to step up and provide better service to the community and our seniors instead of persons standing outside in the hot sun by the main branch in Philipsburg to pay their electrical and water bills,” Lake observed.
“A substation for the Harbour area and electricity and water feed lines and also sewage lines are necessary, and Government needs to facilitate by issuing the necessary permits once these have been requested. NV GEBE needs to start getting the Seven Seas Water and Sewage Lines project off the ground and upgrading the water lines project by the A.Th. Illidge Road and start executing the other investment projects.”
“Restructuring of NV GEBE Board and Management, and training and development for the employees, I see as a high priority for the power electricity company in order to take our country to the next level,” MP Lake said on Monday, February 22.
MP Lake: GEBE Board and Management needs to better assist community
