PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Economic Affairs Franklin Meyers on Wednesday said a tariff structure presentation for GEBE, as compiled by Bureau Telecommunication & Post Cura�ao, will be given on February 2 and shortly thereafter his Ministry will give directives to GEBE as to what "responsible" tariff structure should be implemented.
Meyers was answering questions from Members of Parliament during the continuation of the plenary session of Parliament that focused on Infrastructure and GEBE. Minister of Infrastructure Theo Heyliger wrapped up his presentation last week (agenda point 1), leaving Meyers to answer questions as they relate to his Ministry.
The National Alliance, who requested the meeting, had intended for Heyliger to be present but erroneously requested for the Shareholder Representative of GEBE to be present. The Shareholder representative of GEBE is not Heyliger, but the Shareholding Foundation. As such, Chairman of the Shareholding Foundation Ralph Richardson was present but was excused by Chairlady of Parliament Gracita Arrindell after MP William Marlin admitted his factions' error. Heyliger's absence led to a heated procedural debate in Parliament (see related story).
The majority of the questions were for Minister Heyliger to answer; Minister Meyers only answered a few questions that specifically fell under the auspices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Most of the questions were asked in a previous session about GEBE, prompting MP William Marlin to stress that "as long as the people of St. Maarten are not getting relief from GEBE, no amount of meeting on GEBE is enough."
The focus of the questioning was on GEBE's price structure, fuel usage, alternative energy and the infamous fuel clause. Meyers, as he has in the past, admitted that not much relief has been given to consumers and reminded Parliament that in all of his statements prior to allowing GEBE to conditionally implement its new tariff structure last August, he stressed that government had to determine if GEBE wasn't passing on its inefficiencies to the consumer.
As such the BT&P study was commissioned on GEBE tariffs. He explained that personal situations with the Director of BT&P Cura�ao led to a delay in presenting the findings to the government of St. Maarten but the presentation is forthcoming on February 2.
MP's also raised questions about a resident who was instructed by government to remove wind turbines from his property in Guana Bay because reportedly the turbines were against government/GEBE regulations. The resident in question has questioned via the media why Minister Heyliger is allowed to have turbines and not him. The Alliance faction picked up on that tone.
MP Louie Laveist was the first to question government policy on wind turbines for private and commercial use and government's policy for the future of energy on St. Maarten. He said he has no issues with wind turbines "if one could afford it" since these might help fight the "financial terrorism" that GEBE is imposing on the people with the fuel clause. "But how is this regulated? Are there laws that restrict this? And if so will the Minister make these laws more flexible to allow people who have the means to get them the possibility to do so?" Laveist asked.
MP's also questioned the shares transfer agreement signed last October between the government of Saba, Statia and St. Maarten. On this point, National Alliance MP's referred to several media reports to guide the questions they presented. MP William Marlin asked about the number of Directors currently at GEBE, the management structure at GEBE, how recruitment for these Directors were executed and if this recruitment was still ongoing, the details of the agreement and what is Heyliger's vision for GEBE and was this vision officially established by government.
For the Alliance to get its answers on GEBE it would have to request another meeting and invite Heyliger to attend said meeting as the Minister in charge of Energy Affairs.
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