Egbert Doran
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran said on Wednesday that the relief promised by utilities company GEBE has been applied to the bills of consumers and urged those who have questions about their bills to take up the matter with the water and light company directly.
He was responding at the time to a question from The Daily Herald about complaints from consumers who feel that the relief is not reflected in their bills. Doran said during the virtual live Council of Ministers press briefing that the company did not read meters for one month and, as a result, the bills consumers have received reflect consumption for two months.
However, he said that if someone receives a bill that “deviates completely” from their meter-reading it can be taken up with customer service at GEBE.
Doran said several persons had contacted him and when he cross-referenced their bills with previous bills, it was just that the person had received a bill reflecting consumption for two months. He said anything that is unclear to consumers can be taken up with GEBE. Doran said he will also follow up for an update with GEBE’s management board on the matter.
In an effort to protect its team members in wake of the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, GEBE did not read meters of consumers in April during the midst of the country’s lockdown. Water and electricity meters are being read this month and consumers are receiving two-month bills. The company offered relief of a fixed fuel clause of NAf. 0.18 per kilowatt hour on light and water bills for six months starting April 1.
In the meantime, Doran said he had visited GEBE on Friday, May 8, in his capacity as VROMI Minister and was treated to a tour of the Philipsburg office by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenrick Chittick. Doran said he had been informed about the progress made at the company, the challenges it faces daily and how these were being remedied.
Doran was also apprised of the social-distancing measures in place at the company to prevent the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, which he was able to witness first-hand. Also discussed was the reconstruction of the main office in Philipsburg, which was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017, and the company’s other plans for the future.
Another meeting has been scheduled with the GEBE management team to visit various sites and to follow up on progress made on issues raised.
