MSJ takes anti-T&TEC rate hike campaign to the streets

The MSJ is continuing its anti-T&TEC-rate-hike campaign by taking its message to the streets.

At around 10.30 am, on April 17, five members of the MSJ along with their leader David Abdulah gathered at the T&TEC office on Park and Frederick Street in Port of Spain to collect signatures for their petition against the company's proposed rate hike.

Last year, the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) proposed a T&TEC rate increase of between 15 and 64 per cent for residential customers, 37-51 per cent for small businesses (B1) and ten-12 per cent for larger businesses (B2), paying commercial rates. It also proposed an increase of between 58 and 72 per cent for class D industrial customers, and 119-126 per cent for class E industrial customers.

In February, the MSJ promised to take its online Don’t Leave Us in the Dark campaign to the streets.

On April 17, the MSJ reiterated its argument that the government should explore other avenues.

Abdulah said, “We are not just opposing the rate increase, we are saying there is an alternative for the rate increase and that alternative is for the government to reintegrate power generation into T&TEC.”

He said power generators Powergen and the Trinidad Generation Unlimited should be made part of T&TEC. He believes that arrangement could save $250 million a year and eliminate the need to raise customer rates.

“Under the power-purchase agreement with the power producers, T&TEC must pay for a guaranteed amount of power every day. For example, if T&TEC is paying for 1,000 megawatts a day but the demand is 800 megawatts a day, T&TEC is paying for 200 megawatts which it can’t sell.”

Abdulah also expressed the MSJ’s displeasure with the RIC's final determination that it could increase rates without coming back to the public.

“As a result of that, in three years’ time, that is within the five-year period of this rate review, rates could go up again. And that would be tremendously onerous on people.”

Newsday spoke to several people who stopped to sign the petition.

Jai Sooklall said, "Right now in this economy, wages are low and life expenses are high. We do not need a raise of anything. We need an increase in pay.”

A woman said, “As someone who is a part of the diminishing middle class, it is becoming incredibly difficult to maintain a normal standard of living and access to basic amenities.

"An increase in light bill will affect that drastically, especially because I have children in school. My children use a lot of electricity at night to do homework and study so it impacts me directly.”

She added low-income earners would also be negatively affected because a light-bill increase might lead to a general increase in prices.

Errol John, however, said he would not be signing the petition.

He said, “I think this increase is something that is due. You have to pay for what you are getting and I think T&TEC provides good service.”

Abdulah said the MSJ intends to take this campaign around the country where it hopes to meet people at different T&TEC offices and on the streets to add their signatures to the petition. Currently, the online petition at change.org has 250 signatures, with the next goal being 500.