Philipsburg:--- While the residents and businesses on St. Maarten are still trying to cope with the constant load shedding offered by GEBE and their high utility bills, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Theodore Heyliger told members of the media on Wednesday that while it might sound terrible, he still does not know what is taking place at GEBE. Heyliger said that he sent numerous letters to GEBE requesting information but the company or foundation that manages GEBE is not cooperating because they felt that government did not respond to the water budget some ten years ago. Heyliger said GEBE attempted to answer one or two questions he posed on the water company but other vital information is not forthcoming. He said he does not have any information on the recruitment drive to hire a CEO and CFO and he too is left in the dark.Heyliger said he took note of the statements made by GEBE when they said that the residents and St. Maarten in general are lucky that they no longer have to deal with the seaweed problems. The Minister said that the seaweed issue has been going on since he was elected to office in 1995 and it is terrible for the company to be talking about seaweed 16 years later. "I consider this to be shameful for the company to say we still have seaweed problems to deal with."
Minister Heyliger said he is currently looking at different avenues to deal with GEBE. He said GEBE has a concession with government that they do not adhere to. However, government has to be vigilant in whatever actions they take. "If we decide that we will cancel the concession then we have to then think about the effects this will have on the company and their financiers. I gave them another friendly advice which is to provide government with the answers and the tariff structure because if government acts it will be tough for the company." Heyliger said he recently learnt that GEBE management can now deviate from the management contract they have with the water company because it is 10 years old. He said the government of St. Maarten finds itself in a difficult situation when it comes to dealing with GEBE since they have to take into account the new corporate norms.
Heyliger said the company provided two financial statements to government but it is not the recent ones. These two financial statements were sent to him within the past two weeks.
While Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams said that the generator for the government administration building has arrived and it will take a week or so for it to be installed.