VROMI Minister Egbert Doran.
PHILIPSBURG--Utilities company GEBE staff will have to “run their numbers” to determine how and when they can apply relief for consumers, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran said on Wednesday.
He was responding at the time to a question regarding relief posed to him during the live Council of Ministers press briefing.
“We are currently in a discussion with GEBE on the senior relief – providing senior relief. So that is taking place,” Doran said in response to the question. “Also, a general relief for the people of St. Maarten – that discussion did take place within the Council of Ministers. So, of course you know they have to run their numbers and see the most feasible way and how to apply it and when to apply it.”
He said later in the briefing in response to another related question that “it would be very hard for me to sit here and tell you how GEBE financials are in the sense of how they plan to calculate. As I mentioned, … we are awaiting different ways and means on how it will be able to work, which is the same answer to the question I responded to a while ago. …
“Of course, the company has to make sure that they stay afloat and also see how much room they have for relief and see how they can apply that relief for residents and not commercial businesses. That was a discussion.”
Doran also thanked the GEBE staffers for their dedicated commitment and for the hard work they have put in to get the company to where it is following the BlackByte ransomware attack.
