Dear Editor,
I listened in utter amazement to the first story carried on the midday news by Radio Jamaica on 10th April 2014. The voice I heard sounded like that of Minister Phillip Paulwell, but I still cannot believe that such a suggestion could have really come from his mouth.
In a nutshell, he was saying that the Jamaica Pubic Service (JPS) ought to institute a flat rate for electricity for those who are currently stealing the commodity. The interim flat rate mentioned was $2,000, and this would continue until 2016 when the new reduced rates would come into effect.
Now, when those people stealing electricity blast their air-conditioning units and burn outside lights all day get to pay a nominal fee of $2,000, what message is being sent to legitimate paying customers? We are conserving like hell, playing by the rules, and getting shafted. Wouldn't it be better to just steal electricity too and pay $2,000 as against the $8000 plus per month for the next year and a half?
The goodly minister should thank his lucky stars his prime minister isn't named Camilla Persad-Bissessar because, based on past experience, without a doubt he would be job-hunting tomorrow.
By the way, I have a suggestion for the JPS, which I believe should go down well with Senator Lambert Brown. He was suggesting that the name of the police force be renamed the Jamaica Police Service. So, would not a name-change from the Jamaica Public Service to the Jamaica Public Force be appropriate?
Robert Mitchell
Manchester
mitcib@yahoo.can
Paulwell lucky Persad-Bissessar isn't his PM
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I listened in utter amazement to the first story carried on the midday news by Radio Jamaica on 10th April 2014. The voice I heard sounded like that of Minister Phillip Paulwell, but I still cannot believe that such a suggestion could have really come from his mouth.
In a nutshell, he was saying that the Jamaica Pubic Service (JPS) ought to institute a flat rate for electricity for those who are currently stealing the commodity. The interim flat rate mentioned was $2,000, and this would continue until 2016 when the new reduced rates would come into effect.
Now, when those people stealing electricity blast their air-conditioning units and burn outside lights all day get to pay a nominal fee of $2,000, what message is being sent to legitimate paying customers? We are conserving like hell, playing by the rules, and getting shafted. Wouldn't it be better to just steal electricity too and pay $2,000 as against the $8000 plus per month for the next year and a half?
The goodly minister should thank his lucky stars his prime minister isn't named Camilla Persad-Bissessar because, based on past experience, without a doubt he would be job-hunting tomorrow.
By the way, I have a suggestion for the JPS, which I believe should go down well with Senator Lambert Brown. He was suggesting that the name of the police force be renamed the Jamaica Police Service. So, would not a name-change from the Jamaica Public Service to the Jamaica Public Force be appropriate?
Robert Mitchell
Manchester
mitcib@yahoo.can
Paulwell lucky Persad-Bissessar isn't his PM
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