Dear Editor,
Many of us are very high happy that we have electricity, water and some cases Internet and cable connections. However, there are many of our brothers and sisters that to date are still without these facilities. We have been approached by many residents in the districts of Dutch Quarter, in particular the Garden of Eden and in Middle Region, the road in the vicinity of the family Beauperthuy that still don’t have electricity connections and will not receive such until the first quarter in 2018.
In all honesty we must commend the workers, the management of N.V. GEBE and those workers from the Curaçao company who have done a fantastic job in restoring electricity to the island. However, from reliable sources we have learnt that the workers from Curaçao are leaving the island the early part of this week and that with them leaving it will cause further delay with the electrical connections to those areas mentioned above and others.
We have therefore forwarded a letter to the Minister of VROMI and responsible for NV GEBE to intervene in this matter. On behalf of those many residents we have requested the minister to take up contact with the management of N.V. GEBE to extend the stay of the workers from Curaçao for at least two more weeks. This would allow them to assist in finalizing those connections to those many areas mentioned above and others such as the St. James Estate in Defiance.
We also know that many of the workers of NV GEBE and the management have performed above the call of duty after the passing of hurricanes Irma and Maria. However, by extending the stay of the workers from Curaçao it would allow the workers from NV GEBE to get the much needed rest to continue with the underground program and other electrical plans that are in the pipelines. But at the end of the day there must be light in the tunnel for those residents without electricity now especially with the Christmas season fast approaching and the New Year 2018 right around the corner.
Lenny F. Priest
Leader, One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP)
