PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs on Wednesday urged the public to make payment arrangements at utilities company GEBE, however the company is not offering payment plans to clients.
Jacobs made the call during the live Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, while addressing the situation at GEBE.
“I would also… like to take the time to urge the general public who have not yet made any payments to go in and make some arrangements,” Jacobs said. “Find the reconciliation of your bills. I know many more are receiving bills as we speak. If it’s not correct, go in and have that discussion. Do not sit back at home and just complain. Go out and rectify it, or call and send an email, whichever is more convenient to you, but ensure that you have the correct assessment from GEBE and make some kind of payment arrangement,” she added.
“That is our responsibility as citizens as well as we continue to do what we can to bounce back from this very dangerous attack that took place on the IT system at GEBE with all the consequences thereto.”
GEBE officials had told reporters at a press conference at its office in late May, while announcing its reopening that customers will not be forced to settle the three bills they would have received at once and that payment arrangements can be made.
However, clients have not been able to make payment arrangements since. Customers who request payment arrangements are being told that management had instructed that no payment arrangements should be made with clients. Clients have not been able to secure payment arrangements since GEBE reopened on June 6, after being hit by a ransomware attack on March 17.
Former GEBE Temporary Manager Sharine Daniel had told Lady Grace on “The Breakfast Lounge” on 102.7FM last Thursday that GEBE had not back peddled on its promise to offer payment plans.
She said clients had not made use of the offer and indicated that some persons wanted to make payment arrangements on their entire balances without making a deposit. “For the record GEBE never backpedalled on the offer,” Daniel said on the radio programme. She said when the decision to offer payment arrangements was made, GEBE was cognizant that the ransomware attack was not the fault of clients.
According to Daniel, payment plans were offered to allow clients to continue to make payments while waiting for their entire bill. She said the intention was for persons to put funds down and make a payment plan for the difference and not for a payment arrangement to be made for the entire outstanding bills. “In the beginning the people did not take advantage of that they just didn’t come in and didn’t pay and it is the truth and those that came for payment plan just wanted a payment plan without putting any funds down,” she said adding that a decision had to be made to protect the company and the people.
She alluded to the case of a consumer who called her requesting a payment arrangement for a bill of over 6,000 [currency could not be ascertained – Ed.] dating back to January/February – since before the ransomware attack. She said if a payment plan is offered to this client, what will become of his bills for May, June, July and the one coming for August, as the client would have to make payments on his plan as well as his current bills.
She acknowledged that GEBE did offer payment plans in the past. She insisted that the offer for payment plans had been on the table but consumers did not make use of it. However, customers who attempted to make payment arrangements after the reopening were told that this can only be done as of September 1, and were then told that instructions had been given to not make payment arrangements.
