GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People’s Party (UPP), Omar Ottley, has officially written to the Government of St. Maarten and the management of NV GEBE urging them to suspend all electricity disconnections and to reconnect households for the Christmas holiday season and to reconnect households currently without service.
In his formal communication, MP Ottley highlighted that the Christmas season represents a time of unity, generosity, and compassion, values he believes must guide national decision making during a period of unprecedented hardship for many families on the island. The MP referenced the approach taken by the Government of Curaçao in 2024, where authorities suspended disconnections to ensure that no resident was left without electricity during the festive season.
According to Ottley, St. Maarten has endured two extremely challenging years marked by rising food prices, increased energy costs, and ongoing economic pressures that have tested the resilience of households across the island. “Many families are simply struggling to stay afloat,” the MP emphasized. “This is a time when loved ones gather together, when children look forward to the joy of the holidays, and when our community should be a source of comfort, not additional stress.”
MP Ottley stressed that electricity is no longer a luxury, but an essential service tied to health, safety, and dignity. He stated that leaving families in darkness during the Christmas holidays would compound emotional and financial burdens already weighing heavily on residents. “No mother should have to worry about preparing Christmas dinner without power. No child should go to bed on Christmas Eve in the dark. No elder should have to endure the season without the basic comfort of electricity,” the MP wrote. The letter urges the authorities to consider the collective moral responsibility to protect the most vulnerable during the island’s most cherished time of year
“This is not about politics,” MP Ottley stated. “This is about humanity. It is about ensuring that our people can experience the warmth of Christmas despite the global and local economic challenges. I am asking the Government and NV GEBE to stand with the people, to recognize their struggles, and to give them the gift of dignity and comfort this holiday season.”
MP Ottley said the true spirit of Christmas lies in compassion and expressed hope that the Government and NV GEBE will respond promptly and positively to the request, ensuring that no family enters Christmas, or the New Year, without light.
“Let us choose empathy. Let us choose community. Let us choose to light up every home on St. Maarten this Christmas,” stated MP Ottley.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/mp-ottley-asks-govt-gebe-to-stop-disconnections-for-holiday-season-and-reconnect-those-without-service
