IT IS absolutely unacceptable and totally disgraceful for the government to so mismanage its affairs that the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) should feel obliged to disconnect electricity from the Supreme Court, the Family Court and several police stations because of the non-payment of bills.
Institutions and individuals will experience cash flow problems or by simple oversight neglect to meet payment deadlines from time to time. But all indications are that the JPS had been in dialogue with the Ministry of National Security and Justice, had accepted promises for payments to be made by certain dates, had sent reminder letters and extended deadlines to these public agencies, for a bill of $69 million to be cleared.
The JPS may at times be seen as overly aggressive in a selective pursuit of delinquent customers who are made to face the penalty for their errors, while wide swathes of inner-city communities poaching illegally on its services remain untouched. But when this state of delinquency is multiplied many times over across Jamaica, we can well appreciate the difficult situation the company faces. No company can afford to operate efficiently with that level of delinquency.
The situation is also filled with irony. If the government cannot meet its monthly bills to keep key elements in the court system and police stations functioning, what confidence can or should the public have in its ability to operate in the more essential services where life may be at risk?
We note that the Office of Utility Regulation has also found fault with the JPS administration over its metre reading system and
yesterday issued directives for its correction. There is no indication so far that the five agencies whose electricity supply was disconnected between Monday and yesterday, were any more adversely affected than other customers by the glitches in the utility company's meter reading system.
All of this is taking place against the background of an outbreak of brush fires across the island, with the Fire Brigade services barely able to respond to keep farms and houses out of danger. At the same time, some hospitals are reporting a shortage of medical supplies and equipment.
It is also a fact that the inflow of revenue to the government's coffers tends to slow down towards the end of the fiscal year. But these bills did not climb to the present high rates of arrears overnight. What has been demonstrated through these lapses is gross mismanagement. It is well past time for the government to get its act together.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
