St. Maarten Private Eye

SXM News Network

Philipsburg:- Commissioner Roy Marlin and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of GEBE said that management of GEBE have been doing calculations with regards to the high fuel cost which is causing consumers to pay more in their electricity bills.
Marlin said that the fuel clause that is passed on to the consumers is for heavy fuels even though the company uses also light fuel to produce electricity. Marlin explained that the supervisory board of GEBE and management has to make sure that whatever decision is taken would not jeopardize the future of the company and its growth. He said when one is looking at financing the banks normally will look at the decisions taken by the company.

Marlin further explained that the company is trying to find ways and means to cut costs, but since GEBE has to make some more solid investments with the purchasing of equipments and other materials to produce electricity. He said that one of the things the company has to is take into consideration is the huge loan GEBE has to take to purchase these equipments.

Marlin at the executive press briefing held yesterday said that it is important that residents pay more attention to how much un-necessary electricity they consume.
He said that the company is carefully looking at the high fuel clause, and wants to assure the population that there would be no additional cost added due to the high fuel clause. However, the commissioner is asking the population to be more conscious on the amount of electricity they use un-necessarily. “Make sure you do not put on your air-conditioning three hours before you need to use it, if it is not necessary to leave on your porch light when you go to sleep, or is it necessary to have two television on” Marlin said. “We have to get to that point where we as a people have to start learning how to manage the amount of money we are willing to pay on our monthly utility bill” Marlin cautioned.

He said that the St. Maarten has no control on the oil market and the prices of fuel prices.

Asked if the rise in the electricity bills has anything to do with the garbage collection tax that will be added to electricity bills; as there is already a naf.15 on all electricity bills which is supposed to go towards garbage collection tax. Marlin said that there is no monies added to the electricity bill for garbage collection, but instead there is a small fee added to the water bills for the maintenance of meters that are installed to homes.

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