PHILIPSBURG:--- An estimated 500 residents, joined by politicians, union representatives, community leaders, and concerned consumers, took to the streets on Monday in a powerful show of public frustration over electricity and water bills, fuel clause charges, and utility disconnections imposed by NV GEBE.
The march, organized by the Association for Consumer Protection (ACP), culminated at GEBE's headquarters, where ACP President Peggy Ann Dros-Richardson delivered a strong message to the utility company and informed supporters that GEBE has been given seven business days to respond to a list of nine demands presented on behalf of consumers.
The massive turnout signaled growing dissatisfaction among residents who say they have been burdened by rising utility costs, inconsistent billing, and a lack of transparency regarding the controversial fuel clause.
Speaking to the crowd following a meeting with GEBE officials, Dros-Richardson said ACP was not interested in endless discussions that failed to produce results.
"This country sometimes has us spinning in a wash cycle of talking, discussion after discussion, with no deadline set and no resolution in sight," she told supporters. "On behalf of the Association for Consumer Protection, I am saying this will not occur."
Dros-Richardson warned that if GEBE fails to provide what ACP considers a reasonable resolution within seven business days, the organization is prepared to seek legal action.
"This isn't about GEBE. This is about consumer rights. Today it is GEBE, tomorrow it can be another institution. We are standing up for the people of this country."
ACP presented nine demands to the utility company, two of which the organization considers immediate and non-negotiable.
The first demand calls for the immediate reversal of what ACP describes as the unauthorized and unlawful retroactive application of the fuel clause. The second requires GEBE to suspend all residential utility disconnections and reconnect households that have already been disconnected.
"I have made it clear to NV GEBE that those two points are non-negotiable," Dros-Richardson stated.
The remaining demands seek greater transparency regarding tariff calculations and fuel clause methodology, an independent audit of billing practices dating back to the March 2022 cyberattack, the publication of a customer service policy, compensation for consumers who may have been improperly charged, and stronger protections for vulnerable groups including seniors, low-income families, persons with disabilities, medically dependent residents, and households with children.
ACP is also demanding full cooperation with regulatory and oversight bodies, as well as the publication of a clear infrastructure and service reliability plan to improve electricity and water services. The organization further called on GEBE to invest more aggressively in renewable energy solutions to reduce long-term costs for consumers.
Receiving the ACP delegation was Temporary Manager Iris Arrindell, who acknowledged the growing frustration among residents and the widening divide between the utility company and the public.
"We understand that you are frustrated," Arrindell told the gathering. "There is really a gap between us and the people."
Arrindell assured the crowd that GEBE intends to engage with ACP representatives and review the concerns presented.
"Never believe for one moment that we ourselves don't want this situation fixed. The quicker we get this fixed, the quicker we can gain your trust back and move on together as a company," she said.
While the demonstration highlighted widespread public dissatisfaction with GEBE's billing practices and customer service, the utility company is simultaneously facing a severe financial challenge of its own.
Recent disclosures indicate that approximately NAf. 184.7 million is currently owed to NV GEBE in unpaid electricity and water bills. The staggering figure has fueled concerns among policymakers and financial experts who warn that the utility's long-term sustainability is being threatened by mounting arrears and a growing culture of non-payment.
The issue has become increasingly controversial as some residents and interest groups have called for debt forgiveness or write-offs. However, critics argue that such measures would place an even greater burden on an already struggling utility and ultimately shift costs onto paying customers and taxpayers.
Many observers note that while consumers have legitimate concerns about billing accuracy, fuel-clause increases, and service reliability, the reality is that electricity and water services cannot be maintained if large numbers of customers simply stop paying their bills in the expectation that debts will eventually be written off.
Monday's demonstration therefore highlighted two competing realities facing Sint Maarten. On one hand, consumers are demanding transparency, accountability, and relief from what they believe are unfair charges. On the other hand, GEBE must recover millions in outstanding payments while rebuilding public confidence and maintaining essential services.
As ACP's seven-business-day deadline begins to count down, attention will now turn to whether GEBE responds to the organization's demands or whether the dispute escalates into a legal battle.
What was evident on Monday is that nearly 1,000 residents made their voices heard, sending a clear message that public patience has run out and that consumers expect answers, accountability, and action.
Pond Island:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Maarten, today extended warm congratulations to Ms. Iris Arrindell on her appointment as Temporary Manager of NV GEBE, describing the appointment as “an important step toward restoring stability, transparency and public confidence in GEBE.”
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PHILIPSBURG:--- NV GEBE Temporary Manager Mrs. Iris Arrindell has reaffirmed the utility company's commitment to providing reliable water and electricity services while outlining a renewed focus on transparency, accountability, communication, and customer service.
