Dear Editor,

And so the saga continues and, of course it makes no sense at all and no answers are forthcoming from GEBE. I received my bill for the first 30 days of service (do I even dare use that term in regard to this company?) after they did the “screw the solar client” meter change.

During that period, in broad strokes numbers, I produced roughly 2400 KWH of electricity that went straight into GEBE’s grid and during that same period, again in round numbers, my consumption was roughly half of that at 1200 KWH give or take. The production numbers I have down to the decimal point but the consumption numbers are based on raw data from known consumptions based on direct readings from their meter.

So…seems simple enough. I gave them somewhere around US $500 worth of electricity for free that they then sold to you and stuck the money in their pocket. But the bill was strange. It was for zero dollars and reflected zero consumption for that period, even though that’s not what the meter indicates. There isn’t even a fixed charge of any sort. Just zero dollars due.  

On the face of it that might seem like great news and suggests that someone downtown has taken their head out from where the sun doesn’t shine, but I’m not so sure so I wait another 30 days. And a couple of days ago the second bill arrives. It’s zero dollars again. No fixed charge. No consumption. The same exact meter reading as the first bill. Now… there is an old adage about never asking a question that you don’t want the answer to, but in this case if I just sit around and let GEBE do this without some sort of explanation and it turns out to be them just screwing up, then you know as well as I what will happen.

A giant bill will show up because of some “administration error” and when I refuse to pay because their bills to date say quite clearly that there is zero consumption (never mind the over production I gave them for free), they will simply say “get lost” and charge me interest and penalties and shut me off.  

So I do the prudent thing. I call them and the answer is “nobody knows anything.” And I email the supervisor I know there and get no response. I know you will be shocked to hear that just as I was to experience it.

Maybe this is some secret net metering they are doing and if it is then good for them and they are welcome to the now total of 2400 KWH of free electricity that I have gifted them to date. No charge. Take it with my best wishes. But on the other hand if this is some scam or admin screw up and they are planning to ambush me at some point with invoice-zilla then that’s a whole different issue.

I make note that you can’t get anyone to say anything on the record anymore. The politicians have done their gum flapping and are totally inaccessible as usual and have done exactly nothing and, according to informed sources, have no plans to do anything. GEBE is the sphinx that it has always been. Silent on all issues except when a payment is late.

I think it’s time to haul them into court along with their stake holders and get them on the record once and for all. I think it’s time to make their concession documents a matter of public record and see exactly what their obligations and responsibilities are and I think it is time to find out for real if they are as “bullet proof” in the legal sense as they seem to think they are.  

The newly formed “SXM Solar Alliance” needs a good, sharp, and brutally aggressive public service lawyer to handle the class action lawsuit that’s now in the works. Any takers?

Steven Johnson

Dear Editor,

The effort of our prime minister to give relief to senior citizens is appreciated. However, the focus on electricity cost is, according to me, misplaced. We now pay for electricity the same as in July 2007. Where the focus should be is on food. Based on the figures from our Department of Statistics the total inflation from 2005 till October 2015 is 30 per cent. Taking the inflation in food prices separate the number is exactly 100 per cent. In other words on average one has to spend 30 per cent more now to pay for the same as in 2005, but for food one has to pay double.

On the average, inflation category housing is represented at 40 per cent while food is represented at 10 per cent. My assumption is that seniors spend far more on food than on housing. I don’t know what the answer is, except raising the AOV much more than the 0.86 per cent as has been done for 2016. If our prime minister finds a way to lower the food prices that would be the most effective relief for seniors.

The spreadsheet shown below is based on information from the Department of Statitics.

Kind regards,

Alfred Koolen

Dear Editor,

Recent comments made by Prime Minister William Marlin should be of great concern to all who care about Democracy in the freedom to show their colours and to express themselves anytime and anywhere. The Prime Minister’s “War on Democracy” continues as he plans on using Electoral Reform to erase some of the rights of St. Maarten voters and their freedom to express their political affiliation when walking into the polling station to vote.

Wearing a political T-shirt should not disrupt the rights of a voter from exercising his/her democratic choice to vote on Election Day. Failure to show proper identification, failure to present a voting card, or gross misconduct should be the only reasons that could prevent a St. Maarten voter from casting his/her vote. The idea that it is illegal to wear a party-shirt is absolutely outrageous, and is another direct attempt to bring an end to Democracy and everyone’s right to freely show who they support.

Yes, we need Electoral Reform, but let’s face facts, wearing political T-shirts on Election Day is not the problem. The problem is politicians like the Prime Minister, who brought home a terribly written Constitution and now wants the privilege to continue destroying the little good that we have left.

Having high hopes that the public will fail to remember just who came from the Netherlands, made a major speech as leader of Government at the Administration Building and made sure to remind everyone as to who was actually responsible for bringing home 10/10/10 during the 2010 Elections sure indicates a sense of insecurity. If the voters had only known what was coming and the mess that had been brought home from the Netherlands, the election results that year would have been much different and not favourable for the then winning party.

Despite all the different political views on Sint Maarten, we have never seen an act of violence in connection with the diversity of political views, a blessing that we should be thankful for. What reason is there to prevent people from casting their vote if they decide to wear a certain political T-shirt? Sir, you are looking for a problem where it does not exist.

By Election Day, the majority of voters have already made up their minds, whether or not they are going to the polls and vote for the party and candidate they support. If by that time you, Mr. Prime Minister, feel insecure on the votes you will receive at the polls, and somehow feel threatened by a voter wearing a political T-shirt, then you have managed a bad campaign and probably an even worse government.

The world has had its share of regimes run by the likes of Saddam Hussein and Idi Amin, where expressing yourself freely would have gotten you jailed, punished, or even executed. We may have a lot of problems on St. Maarten, but let’s not follow the white line that our Prime Minister wants to lead us down to, where wearing a political T-shirt when going to vote is an illegal act.

Let us instead head up the road where it is illegal for a Member of Parliament, convicted by the court to be involved in the country’s decision-making process, while at the same time collecting a massive pay check paid for by law abiding citizens.

Knowledge has failed, it is time we seek wisdom and make things right.

Armand Meda

Dear Editor,

Well wishes and upon receipt of this email may all be well with you and yours. Unfortunately, due to the Caravanserai Resort debacle, my wife and I no longer make a yearly and sometimes twice-yearly vacation on the beautiful island of St. Maarten. My wife had even put away all items purchased on the island, including Christmas decorations in order to not be reminded of the thousands of dollars lost in our timeshare.

Why has consumer protection not been enacted so that others don’t face this problem in the future? The loss of restaurants, car rentals and other merchants and tourist attractions will be greatly affected by this lack of will in government action. It may be too late for us, but it’s a black eye on the island and the word is spreading.

Here is hoping that 2016 will bring the reform that is needed to protect time-share owners.

H. Hernandez