GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Omar E.C. Ottley is calling on the Government of St. Maarten to immediately reduce GEBE's base tariff to provide financial relief to households and businesses, particularly following the utility company's announcement that the fuel clause will increase.
Ottley said families and businesses are already struggling with rising living costs and argued that Government has failed to use its authority to protect consumers from escalating electricity bills.
“The people of St. Maarten cannot continue to shoulder the financial burden of inefficiency, poor management, and a lack of accountability. Government must act now by reducing the base tariff so that some sort of relief can be given to every household and business.”
The MP said his call for relief from GEBE costs is not new. He pointed to multiple motions previously submitted in Parliament and said he also presented the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, and by extension the Government of St. Maarten, with a comprehensive Ministerial Regulation.
According to Ottley, the proposed regulation was designed to provide immediate financial relief while establishing a transparent and legally sound structure for the fuel clause. He said the objective is to bring greater fairness, accountability and predictability to the way consumers are charged.
Ottley also questioned GEBE's decision to announce an increase in the fuel clause following the publication of a Bureau Telecommunication and Post report that, according to the MP, identified significant shortcomings in the existing fuel clause methodology.
“The BTP report clearly identified flaws in the existing fuel clause formula. Yet, instead of correcting those deficiencies and protecting consumers, the public is now being asked to pay even more. That is unacceptable.”
The MP further raised concerns about the types of operational costs that have been included in the fuel clause and argued that consumers are being forced to carry expenses that should be absorbed as part of GEBE's normal operational responsibilities.
“Lubrication was never intended to be part of the fuel clause. It was later incorporated simply because GEBE chose not to absorb those operational costs itself. Today, the people are paying for routine maintenance, extra maintenance, emergency repairs, and the consequences of generators breaking down. Those are operational responsibilities, not costs that should continuously be transferred to consumers.”
Ottley stressed that residents should not be required to finance years of deferred maintenance, operational inefficiencies or management failures through higher electricity bills.
“The people of St. Maarten have already sacrificed enough. They should not be expected to continue paying for problems they did not create.”
The MP warned that continued inaction by Government could have political consequences and said he is prepared to pursue further action in Parliament.
“If the Government continues to ignore the hardships facing our people and refuses to take decisive action, I will have no choice but to pursue a Motion of No Confidence against the relevant minister. Their continued lack of compassion, lack of urgency, and unwillingness to defend the financial interests of the people of St. Maarten cannot go unanswered.”
Ottley said Government must now decide whether it will act to ease the financial pressure on residents and businesses or allow consumers to continue carrying the cost of unresolved operational and management problems at the utility company.
“Government must choose whether it stands with the people or continues to stand by while they bear the cost of inaction.”
