GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Luc Mercelina confirmed on Wednesday that government intends to introduce a wider relief program for GEBE customers beyond the most vulnerable households, but did not say when the relief will take effect. His statement follows Tuesday’s signing between Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Richinel Brug and GEBE to assist the "most vulnerable" with electricity payments. The PM also acknowledged that GEBE is still working to improve the accuracy of its billing system, which, consequently means that the Prime Minister effectively confirmed that billing errors continue to occur.
The Prime Minister said he fully supports the initiative for the most vulnerable but acknowledged that relief must extend to working families and others struggling with high energy costs. “We are now designing a project to assist that second group, those who are not classified as vulnerable but are still financially burdened by high tariffs,” he explained. “We already have a team working on it, but it is complex. We must find a way to identify and reach the right people without overlap with those already covered by the social affairs program.” He added that while the government is working to make this broader assistance a reality, no start date has been set.
Mercelina confirmed that he will attend a closed-door session of Parliament on Thursday to discuss GEBE’s current situation. “This meeting will provide an opportunity to update Members of Parliament on the latest developments within the company and to discuss next steps to ensure transparency, accountability, and stability,” he said. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by representatives of GEBE’s Supervisory Board and Management Board.
Responding to public complaints about missing or inaccurate electricity bills, Mercelina said he shares those concerns and remains in close contact with GEBE. “I hear the same reports from the community about inaccuracies in billing. I am constantly meeting with GEBE, and the Council of Ministers has also met with the company on this matter,” he said. “They continue to assure me they are improving the billing system’s accuracy. Although I am not GEBE’s management, I remain on top of it through the Supervisory Board, which is responsible for communication with management.”
He reiterated that as shareholder, the government cannot directly instruct the company but can communicate expectations through the board. “People must understand that under corporate governance rules, my directions and those of the government must go through the Supervisory Board,” he said. “I continue to press them to improve accuracy and transparency for consumers.”
Mercelina explained that government is pursuing three tracks to stabilize electricity costs and protect consumers. The first is direct assistance to the most vulnerable through GEBE’s program in partnership with the Social Affairs Department. The second is the upcoming government-led relief initiative for working households. The third is establishing an independent regulator for electricity tariffs.
He confirmed that the Bureau of Telecommunications and Post (BTP) will serve as the official energy regulator. “Until now, Sint Maarten had no tariff regulator. This allowed GEBE some flexibility in setting prices. With BTP as regulator, we will have an authorized entity that ensures transparency and fair pricing, just like the government regulates fuel prices at gas stations,” he said. “BTP already has experience in regulation, and with the necessary adjustments, it will become a professional and credible unit for the energy sector.”
Mercelina said the decision to make BTP the regulator must still be formalized through national legislation. “We are working on that ordinance now,” he said. “Once established, it will prevent arbitrary tariff changes and ensure accountability.”
The Prime Minister repeated that his government’s goal remains to reduce the cost of electricity. “We want relief for every consumer,” he said. “The government’s request to lower tariffs was based on recommendations from the RAC-BTP report, which showed room for reduction. Despite resistance from GEBE’s Supervisory Board, we continue to pursue every option to bring prices down.”
Mercelina said the Thursday parliamentary session will be part of a continued effort to keep Members of Parliament informed and ensure the public sees steady progress. “It is important for people to know that we are not sitting still. We are working on multiple fronts to bring transparency, relief, and stability to GEBE and the country,” he said.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/mercelina-confirms-broader-gebe-relief-planned-gives-no-timeline-billing-still-being-worked-on
