Unfair Billing Practices of State Owned Monopolies

“Life is unfair.”- J.F. Kennedy

Are you a customer of the monopoly Jamaica Public Service Company? Have you been engaging in energy conservation measures over the years; yet your electricity bill does not reflect this? Have you ever queried your high electricity bill but to no avail? Have you been on vacation or know of someone who has, yet a ridiculously high utility bill is attributed to them? Look at the bright side, the widely known secret is now out in the open. Scandalously, the paying customers of the Jamaica Public Service Company are sharing the electricity cost for our brothers and sisters who prefer to steal electricity. In some instances these non paying customers of the JPS have air conditioning units and the latest appliances in their homes which you and I cannot afford. While we suffer during the hot summer months with perhaps a fan they are living luxuriously in air conditioning. While we pinch and conserve there are others who do not need to since their bills have already been paid. Are you familiar with the Jamaican Proverb; Jackass say di world no level?  What is really going on?  Perhaps you were disappointed, shocked maybe by the admission last week by the Jamaica Public Service Company that their customers foot the bill in the cost to recover electricity theft. The admission by JPS was done through a tweet on social media that losses incurred by the company due to illegal activities are shared between the company and their paying customers. The JPS tweet added, unfortunately, a line item on electricity bills does not reflect this specific charge.  This practice is unacceptable and callous. In fact it is most unjust and unprincipled of the Jamaica Public Service Company to engage in this sort of clandestine behavioural practice.  Senior Vice President of Customer Service at JPS, Ramsey McDonald, says the company has spent millions of dollars to reduce electricity theft over the years. He said paying customers bear approximately 20 per cent of the losses from electricity theft.  Mr McDonald added that the cost is reflected in the fuel costs.  Why 20 percent? Why not 5 percent or even 10 percent?  What is so magical about 20?  This is unacceptable! Energy Minister Fayval Williams says she is not surprised by JPS’ admission. She says customers should be informed about how much of this cost they are bearing. In the meantime, Minister Williams has released a joint statement with the light and power company, following a meeting with Cabinet. According to the statement, the Energy Ministry and the JPS have agreed that more will be done to address customers’ concerns about high electricity bills. It says the JPS has also committed to taking immediate steps to ensure that customers better understand their bills, have information to manage their usage and greater access to JPS representatives. On Saturday, July 11, scores of protesters gathered near the Jamaica Public Service Company's (JPS) corporate offices in New Kingston, where they demonstrated against what they believe is “a lack of transparency” regarding how their electricity bills are being calculated. Chief organizer for the protest, Dr. Marc Ricketts, said customers have taken the time and energy to join because they want to make a statement.  Minister Williams is urging customers to be patient as the Office of Utilities Regulation, (OUR) concludes its audit. So while we patiently await the outcome of this audit, another bombshell hit us last week. Do remember the country is still in the midst of COVID19 which is more than a handful. The monopoly National Water Commission also admitted that they too bill their customers for stolen water.  Corporate Communications Manager at the National Water Commission, NWC, Andrew Canon is admitting that the State-owned utility is also charging its paying customers for water it produces that’s stolen by others. He says the issue remains a work in progress for the NWC. Meanwhile, President of the NWC, Mark Barnett says unless paying customers report incidents of water theft, they will continue to pay more for losses incurred by theft.  The President of the National Water Commission noted that there is a culture in Jamaica where people feel they should not pay for water. The NWC President also sought to explain how water theft is filtered into paying customers’ bills. Given that JPS paying customers bear approximately 20 per cent of the losses from electricity theft it would be interesting to know from the National Water Commission what percentage of the losses paying customers are covering for theft of water?

Illogical Reasoning

The argument posited by the President of the National Water Commission is illogical and skewed and needs to be revisited. Law-abiding Jamaicans cannot catch a break. When it’s not crime and violence, it’s immoral and unjust billing practices of utility companies. These matters are compounded in a culture where consumer protection and advocacy is weak and in some instances non-existent. The billing practices of our utility companies are so absurd and wicked. Why punish your paying customers? We need to demand a consumer friendly culture whereby we are billed what we consume. Politics and political inferences are the genesis behind these policies. Regrettably, in too many situations across Jamaica we have garrison communities where the residents do not pay for utility bills and in return they vote blindly for the political party which facilitates them being there. Many Jamaicans are incensed at these revelations. How is this even possible in a democracy? I have never heard of anything like this before. There can be no justification for the National Water Commission and the Jamaica Public Service Company to ask paying customers to cover their losses due to lack of investment in modern technology or their ineptitude.

Lack of Transparency and Credibility

Where else could this practice be allowed to continue? What is the purpose of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR)? Do we really need such an office as the OUR?  What if all of the paying customers decide its best to steal electricity and water? These unethical practices by our utility companies should be called out for what they are. Unconscionable!   More Jamaicans should be incensed at the billing practices of both the NWC and the JPS. The government needs to act with a sense of alacrity to ensure that these practices come to an end. As consumers we should only pay for what we consume. This is so ridiculous it’s not even funny. The disclosure by our State-owned monopolies is rather disrespectful to their paying customers. The behaviour of both utility companies is shameful to say the least. The silence of the Office of Utilities Regulation is deafening.  Many customers will be paying their next utility bill grudgingly but can you blame them, especially in such a culture of secrecy, lack of transparency and credibility? The paying customers deserve better.  

In the words of Nancy Pearcy, competition is always a good thing. It forces us to do our best. A monopoly renders people complacent and satisfied with mediocrity.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.

waykam@yahoo.com

@WayneCamo

#NWC #JPS #OUR #consumerprotection #Jamaica #monopoly #competition #politics

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