By Lynford Simpson,
Staff Reporter
THE NATIONAL Water Commission says its latest amnesty to delinquent customers aimed at collecting $3 billion in arrears, has failed to generate the expected response.
The amnesty, which was extended in September 2000, offered customers a chance to settle outstanding balances without being penalised. It followed the 1999 amnesty during which delinquents benefited from a 50 per cent discount on outstanding arrears. More than $50 million was raised in that amnesty which saw more than 2,000 new customers being connected to the water utility.
Now, according to the NWC, thousands of residential and commercial customers continue to use water for which they do not pay. "Generally we did not get the positive response we had hoped for," said Charles Buchanan, the NWC's corporate relations manager. He said the NWC was bombarded with calls from people who were "more interested in getting a discount instead of making immediate payment."
Mr. Buchanan suggested that thousands of Jamaicans refuse to pay their bills because of a prevailing "Jamaican culture" which contends that water should be had free of charge. He noted that many people do not give high priority to their water bill. This, he said, was especially evident during the last three months of every year when collections throughout the entire island fall dramatically.
The NWC missed a target of $5 million it was hoping to collect last month from action being taken in Hanover and St. James, Mr. Buchanan said. Stating that the scenario was replicated throughout the country, he cited New Bowens, Clarendon, where the entire community was disconnected after running up a $5 million water bill.
According to Mr. Buchanan, the NWC will continue to try to persuade its customers to pay their bills on time. But, he warned that a record number of customers could be hauled before the courts this month -- there were 266 cases before the courts at the end of October. Also he is anticipating a record number of disconnections this month. A total of 3,313 disconnections were recorded in September and 4,002 in October.
At the end of October, the NWC had distributed 116,000 seven-day warning letters and nearly 10,500, 30-day demand letters. The warning letter gives the customer seven working days within which to settle arrears, failing which, letters of demand are sent by the NWC's lawyers giving customers 30 days within which to settle the full amount, lose the service or face court action.
