PHILIPSBURG--President of the Association for Consumer Protection St Maarten (ACP-SXM) Peggy-Ann Richardson on Friday called on the Ministers of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) and Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) to publicly explain NV GEBE's latest fuel clause increase and clarify whether it complies with the ministerial decree giving the Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) regulatory authority over fuel clause adjustments.
Speaking during a Facebook Live broadcast Friday, Richardson questioned why the fuel clause had increased despite what she described as a decline in global crude oil prices."Today is July [10th] and today NV GEBE has increased the fuel clause. The Minister of TEATT and the Minister of VROMI, you have an obligation to come out and make a statement concerning the fuel clause and make a statement concerning the increase that was announced today and if that increase was regulated under the framework of the BTP ministerial decree that was issued and published under your signature."Richardson said she conducted what she described as a quick review of global crude oil prices and found that prices had fallen significantly between April and around July 5.
She questioned whether NV GEBE had passed that reduction on to consumers. "Did NV GEBE provide us with that relief? It's a question I'm asking. The facts present themselves in the bills submitted to you for payment."Richardson also expressed concern that government, as shareholder, had remained silent on the issue.
She specifically called on TEATT Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten and VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs, who signed the ministerial decree in May that she said gave BTP the authority to regulate the electricity concession and validate fuel clause adjustments.According to Richardson, when the fuel clause increased in May, the shareholder's explanation was that the ministerial decree had not yet been put in place.
She argued that the situation has now changed and said the ministers have a responsibility to confirm whether the latest increase complies with the regulatory framework established under that decree.Richardson also said the additional four-cent increase comes on top of what she described as an already burdensome fuel clause and urged the ministers to urgently determine what is happening with the fuel clause and BTP's regulatory role.
