PHILIPSBURG--The mobile generators that St Maarten was hoping to receive from sister islands Curacao and Aruba to help alleviate the energy crisis that the country currently faces will no longer be coming as the quantities that St Maarten needs is not available.
This was the essence of a national address on the GEBE energy crisis delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Veronica Jansen-Webster at noon on Wednesday. The minister assured that government is not deterred and indicated that alternative sources to acquire mobile generation units is being pursued.
“Initially, we believed we could secure sufficient mobile generators from our sister islands. Regrettably, this was not the case. The quantities needed to mitigate our crisis and halt the relentless load shedding are not available,” Jansen-Webster said in the broadcasted national address.
“As you are aware, GEBE was affected by a devastating fire last Sunday, June 2, 2024. This unfortunate incident rendered two more engines inoperable. On Sunday evening, I informed the community about the gravity of our situation and the energy crisis in which we find ourselves: our sole electricity provider is currently unable to generate the power required to supply everyone. In response, a crisis team meeting was urgently convened with representatives from the Netherlands, Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten,” she added, indicating that the initial belief that additional generators would be available was not the case.
“However, we are not deterred. The government, in collaboration with GEBE's management, is actively exploring alternative sources to acquire mobile generation units. A swift, short-term plan is being finalized to ensure these units are delivered and operational as quickly as possible, aiming to restore normalcy to our island. In the meantime, we earnestly ask for your patience and cooperation. We urge everyone to conserve energy wherever possible,” stated Jansen-Webster.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the business community for their invaluable support in operating their backup energy systems, allowing GEBE to distribute power to more customers. We also commend the relentless efforts of the workers who are tirelessly striving to sustain energy production. Rest assured, this government is committed to keeping you informed about this critical situation. As soon as we receive more updates on this situation, we will inform you,” stated the Deputy Prime Minister.
