People were no doubt glad to read in Monday’s paper that GEBE will reopen on June 6 after remaining closed for well over two months following a ransomware attack. It took a while, but when management finally announced there would be no disconnections people’s biggest worry was at least laid to rest.
Late fees won’t be applied either, it has now been confirmed. In both cases there was obviously little choice, as no bills were sent out and many could no longer pay even those already received before the cybercrime.
Accompanying news about the fuel clause going up by 11 Netherlands Antillean guilder cents from NAf. 0.27 to NAf. 0.38 per kilowatt hour between January and May has sparked concern, however. Some suggest providing relief not only on gasoline and diesel fuel prices as intended, but also on electricity rates.
The cost of living is rising quickly, so it was reassuring that the government-owned company plans to issue three separate monthly bills and not combine several. When the latter was done during the COVID-19 lockdown period customers ended up in a much higher bracket of the progressive water usage tariffs, which GEBE never acknowledged.
Mechanisms will be put in place to deal with the expected influx of clients, along with opening extra hours and Saturdays. Persons won’t have to settle the entire debt right away and can make payment arrangements.
All this certainly seems reasonable enough, but there is one more thing not to be overlooked. Certain clients did still get a mid-March bill going back to mid-February and due mid-April. They reason that since this bill already exists, once paid that leaves them with only two others, due mid-May and mid-June respectively.
