Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – According to all media reports, the international energy agency (IEA) has announced that oil prices have fallen to an all-time low with a barrel of crude oil going at the rate of U.S. $ 58.00 a barrel.
Governments and energy companies all over the world have passed on this savings to their consumers.
What will it take for St. Maarten government and NV GEBE to provide relief to the people in the form of a 40% to 50% reduction in the fuel clause on our electricity bills? afterall, our monthly electricity bill is made up of energy consumption and the fuel clause.
The fuel clause in most cases makes up approximately 60% of the monthly bill.
The people of St. Maarten have been screaming for years for some time of relief in the cost of living and in particular as it pertain to energy.
After St. Maarten acquired 100% of the shares of NV GEBE the people were very hopeful only to be let down time after time. It is nice to read that NV GEBE will be given the Government of St. Maarten five million guilders for the 2014 budget.
But when will NV GEBE give the people of this country a relief? Many pundits used the arguments that the energy prices of NV GEBE is one of the lowest in the region but they don't continue to mention that cost of living in some of those other countries as it pertains to food prices and rent are much lower than St. Maarten.
NV GEBE is 100% owned by the Government of St. Maarten by extension the people of St. Maarten. Which self-respecting government continues to bleed its' own people to brag about millions of dollars profit stashed away in some banks?
Since mid-June 2014 the price per barrel of crude oil has dropped from $107.00 to approximately $58.00 and still falling. Isn't NV GEBE benefiting from these price reductions or is the company maintaining to buy oil at the extremely high prices? And if so, isn't it time for us to take a good look at the Supervisory Board of NV GEBE and the management? There is absolutely no excuse for your next GEBE bill not to be reduced by 40% to 50% and if this is not the case then the Supervisory Board and the Management Team should pack up their bundle and clear out.
The people of St. Maarten had enough, they can't take it anymore, and they need a 40% to 50% reduction of their next energy bill. Or must we as a people come together and demonstrate to voice our frustration about these astronomical high bills that are killing our own people softly?
How much more do the people have to take while those that were elected on August 29, 2014 promised them relief during the campaign and now that they are in parliament they forget about the same people that put them there.
All those members in parliament are aware of the ever decreasing prices of crude oil but are not willing to lift a finger to help the people.
The OSPP has forwarded a letter dated December 12, 2014 to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and the management team of NV GEBE demanding this price reduction.
We are also calling on all the first time members of parliament to make sure that this happen without any further delay.
