The Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) will not disconnect any of its residential customers between now and June 30.
“But to encourage you to pay, if you have zero balances in this period, when you go to pay your bill, in other words, you don’t have any arrears, you’ll get 10% off,” Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on NBC Radio on Wednesday.
Customers who pay half of their bill amount will get a 5% discount.
“The point is this. I want persons to bear in mind that CWSA is taking a significant hit. And they’ve put the discount with the moratorium so that it will encourage persons to pay so that they can keep a cash flow going,” the prime minister said.
“But you can get some savings and I think this is a reasonable proposal,” the prime minister said.
He said that CWSA suspended all domestic disconnection last year for customers who made at least one payment, although it had initially announced only a three-month moratorium.
“If you made more than one payment last year, they didn’t cut you off. At least that is what I was informed — which is quite reasonable,” Gonsalves said.
“We’re trying to cushion the pain of this economic fallout from COVID, which is not of our making. COVID didn’t originate here. It came here and it really created severe economic dislocation. And I have to try and ease the burden as much as possible on individuals. So that’s one way we are strengthening the social safety net by offering this.”
Meanwhile, VINLEC, the electricity company, is offering a 10% discount to all residential, commercial and industrial consumers for three months, beginning March 1.
The company will also have a moratorium on all disconnections during that period.
The arrangements will be reviewed at the end of May.
Gonsalves said:
“Again, I’m asking you, pay a little, keep it ticking over because when the end of May comes and you have a big backlog, you’d have to go in, in any event, to make arrangements as to how you’re paying them off. And individual consumers will go in as we did last year, and people know the routine.”
Regarding internet service, the prime minister said that Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves who is also minister of information communication technology is working with providers FLOW and DIGICEL and the National Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (NTRC) regarding certain arrangements.
“They have worked out some specials, and those are announced. But they’re also — for students, they’re doing something for 1,000 students who don’t have internet facilities. So there’s a general provision in relation to reducing the cost. And he has spoken about it and so, too, the NTRC. And I think you’ll see some further announcements this week by NTRC. As I said, we’re trying to address water, electricity, the internet for students,” Gonsalves said.
It’s called Information & Communication Technology not information communication technology. Between all your boasting most citizens are still catching hell; the country is not moving in the right direction, that of development or moving way too slow to be relevant. At the end of this period, all will be back to square 1 but this is not a game.
Calling on NDP and all other opposition groups to take courage there’s a battle to be won. At least, you [opposition] have the balls to call a spade a spade.
One thing that is prevalent in SVG is if you critique a Gov. politician you can count on retribution; you will be silenced. The first thing that needs to be done is to abandon the ‘stupid Insult laws’ which makes politicians near to invulnerable; people like ms. Yugge F. gets sent to a mental home.
PM, you have done grave injustice to the people of SVG, your main concern is staying in power. You even want to intimidate the local press while our constitution guarantees a free and independent press. You go around appointing Senators and all the key positions of the Judiciary. Not to mention the military arm of the ULP, the police, who have carte blanche to do as they see fit.
Percentage is a Big word to the dunces like me, who thing that our Government is offering us Great incentive. They like to use Percentage to fool us in Budgetary highfalutin languages ways (pompous and pretentious). They sometimes used Celsius rather than Fahrenheit. This mythology started in 1979 after the volcanic eruption . Celsius reading or Numbers lower that Fahrenheit. But Maths is Maths any how you put it some body will understand the formula.
In your credit seeking announcement of give Vincy a hand out in this Covid 19 period to Vinlec and water
customers.
Minimum bill for consumer in SVG without a family living in it (Vacant) with two night Lights is near to 100 dollars at reading time if they do. (bills). So what about the daily users of those resources I can assume that Vincy is paying a high price for water and electric and other addons.
Depends every hundred dollar at Vinlec if you in good standing (not in areas) you will get back ten ($10) dollars AND WATER you will get (5 ) five dollars and you must clasp for that.
I am not going too genuflect for that meager, pittance) for the Covid-19 impacted us financially here too, and for our families who cares the financial burdens from overseas (Our Vincentian patriots) are also feeling the Covid pains so they can sent like before.
We are asking for better consideration from your government to give back little more from our Tax money.
VAT, and high Hospital bills.
i learned that some was taking to Hospital for head injury after attack at his home and Scan was order to deterring if he facture skull, and etc. This was an emergency but it cannot be done unless that poor person or family go and pay first. Family oversea have to cough of the money for the scan first. I am very sad if this tpye of services from our own Hospital. (Emergency Ward is just lip Service)
I used to think life matters and your bills come after in SVG your come first and your life comes after so please help us on high price of Medication with the private pharmacies, and with the high price with the Government run Institutions. The Hospital Bills and high cost for Imagery.
please give more so we can smile.
my two cent ramble