It is good for St. Maarten, and then it has the OSPP full support
PHILIPSBURG:--- We were very delighted to hear that a member of the parliament of St. Maarten, namely Mr. Roy Marlin is planning to submit a motion during the 2014 budget debate calling for the lowering of NV GEBE tariffs. During our 2014 New Year address we have indicated that a social agenda should take center stage as it has been lagging far behind infrastructural projects over the years. This imbalance has caused many problems within our communities and we are paying very dearly for this neglect. It is therefore imperative that we addressed those social ills that are hurting our communities today. However, leading the pack is the high Cost of Living that is affecting the livelihood of our people preventing many of them from putting food on the kitchen tables on a daily basis. Many parents are forced to have two jobs to make ends meet and in many cases leaving their young children unattended because they can't afford to pay a babysitter from their measly income. Long gone are the days when parents, grandparents and other family members will take care of your children while you are at work.
Today the OSPP has forwarded a letter to the Shareholder Representative of NV GEBE, Minister Maurice Lake and copied to the Member of Parliament, Mr. Roy Marlin; NV GEBE, Chairman of the Board, Mr. Kelvin Bloyden and NV GEBE, Managing Director, Mr. Romelio Maduro indicating our full support for the proposal to be tabled in the 2014 budget debate to lower the tariffs. We strongly believe in the new politics of today, "It is good for St. Maarten" then it has our full support no matter who proposes it, says Interim Leader of the OSPP, Lenny Priest. The OSPP has also suggested that the tariffs reduction should only be applicable to the residential consumers for now and not to the commercial sector at least not yet.
The OSPP further indicated that the commercial tariffs should no longer be charged to our educational institutions, especially those that are subsidized by the government of St. Maarten. And that NV GEBE should without further delay invest in the installation of solar panels at those same schools. These savings for these institutions can be used to further develop our much needed educational product in particular in the area of information technology.
