Monday’s front page headline that 50% of GEBE clients who received correct bills were non-compliant caused quite a stir. During Wednesday’s press briefing Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs again urged the public (see related story) to make outstanding payments, saying everyone has an own responsibility.
She added that people should not worry about the disconnection date but rather settle their bills to avoid such. Word of plans to start cutting the power supply to delinquents per September 1 had led to payments back then, proving it was possible.
That is true, although one can understand some initial reluctance to make payments right after the ransomware attack, especially after totally nonsensical invoices were sent out as part of a trial in the immediate recovery phase. However, many months have passed since, during which customers were repeatedly requested to pay the estimated usual amounts first at the bank and then at GEBE’s office.
As the prime minister put it, one can hardly expect to endlessly continue receiving service without doing so. Arrangements may always be made for built-up arrears, but ultimately tap water and electricity cannot be free because they cost a lot of money to produce.
Some still have contested bills, mind you, but were advised to make payments “on account” until these have been cleared up. Those who refuse to even try are by now obviously acting in bad faith and asking for trouble.
Thankfully, Temporary Manager Troy Washington reported that solutions for various pressing billing and operational concerns were imminent, with fully functional systems forthcoming within the near future. In the meantime, not making any effort to pay would be downright antisocial, short-sighted and foolhardy, because the eventually unavoidable financial blow will only be bigger later.
At this point, there is simply no valid excuse to refrain from doing the right thing
