PHILIPSBURG--Resident Raphael Dorra has started an online petition aimed at urging utilities company GEBE and government as its shareholder representative, to cancel the bills of its consumers during the current coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown.
Dora told The Daily Herald on Thursday evening that, as a tour operator and owner of the Philipsburg Trolley Train, he can see “the really tough future” ahead of residents in the country in light of the current health crisis gripping the country and the world.
“I am in contact with so many people who are already desperate. We barely got back on our feet after [Hurricane – Ed.] Irma,” he said.
His goal is to accumulate as many signatures as possible. Up to last night the petition had already garnered 2,500 signatures in 48 hours.
The petition reads: “On Sunday, April 5, to be able to fight the spread of COVID-19, the government decided to put St. Maarten in total lockdown. All citizens have to stay at home, without the possibility to work. Meanwhile GEBE, the public service provider, still plans to bill electricity and water consumption. We will be asked to pay bills to a public company while in the meantime the government is giving us the strict order to stay home.
“We ask the government/GEBE to cancel the bill consumption of all customers during the period of mandatory lockdown.”
The petition can be accessed at
https://www.change.org/CancelGebeBills .
