Some mild thieves within the Company Space are adamant that no authorities plan will cease them from stealing electrical energy. Regardless of a $1 billion programme to transform unlawful customers into paying clients of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), many residents say they don’t have any intention of giving up free energy.
A number of residents of inner-city communities, the place the abstraction of electrical energy is rampant, instructed THE STAR that the programme won’t sway them to cease stealing electrical energy.
One defiant lady instructed THE STAR that paying an electrical energy invoice is an pointless burden she refuses to hold.
“All if dem say mi should join it and get it free, mi nah cease tief mild. Mi nah take up no added expense,” the lady mentioned.
“Mi already a pay revenue tax and Web invoice. Mi barely work $18,000 per week, so why mi would wah take up mild invoice when mi can get it free? Mi cannot afford it and mi nah join nothing. Mi no suppose no one over right here gonna join both, as a result of one very long time JPS did hold assembly and say dem gonna provide flat fee and never even dat di folks dem by no means take,” the lady added.
The daring rejection comes a day after Finance Minister Fayval Williams introduced the huge initiative in the course of the Price range Presentation in Gordon Home. The plan targets 20,000 new clients for JPS’ pay as you go electrical energy system, protecting home wiring, inspections, and offering a $4,000 credit score for six months.
“Pre-paid electrical energy will put authorized electrical energy inside attain of many. As a result of pre-paid electrical energy means that you can purchase the quantity of electrical energy that you could afford, when you possibly can afford it, you have got full management,” the minister mentioned.
Power Minister Daryl Vaz beforehand revealed that greater than $40 billion value of electrical energy was stolen.
“That works out to $13,500 for each man, lady and baby in Jamaica,” Vaz mentioned.
However regardless of the push to regularise electrical energy customers, some residents stay unfazed by the Authorities’s efforts.
A St Andrew lady instructed THE STAR that she was a JPS buyer however determined to began stealing electrical energy after her invoice spiked.
“Mi pay it off, sure, however mi begin tief mild after and mi no intend fi cease. It doesn’t matter what kinda deal dem a provide, mi nah take it. Mi realise seh when yuh too trustworthy, yuh cannot win on this nation,” the lady mentioned.
In the meantime, an inner-city ‘electrician’ yesterday instructed THE STAR that the $1 billion programme would put a dent in his pocket.
“Di Authorities a attempt cease mi likkle hussle, dem a depraved” mentioned the ‘lightman’, who resides in a Kingston 11 group. He mentioned that he has been making a dwelling from illegally connecting households and small companies to JPS grid.
“A very long time mi a do dis and it assist the folks dem. No home by no means bun down due to my connection dem as a result of mi run di mild higher dan di mild firm. If a buyer present the wire and different materials, mi will cost dem a one time charge of $35,000, and if after dat the wire burn off, relying how unhealthy it’s, mi will take a ten pack ($10,000) and type dem out. Mi is sort of a saviour to dem folks right here as a result of mi know folks inna dem high-class job weh dem mild invoice use to kill dem and now dem only a cruise,” he mentioned.
