THE EDITOR, Sir:
I ADMIT that after last weekend, I have reached the end of my rope with respect to the hypocrisy of this so-called crisis with the Jamaica Public Service Company. One of the triggers, ironically, was that my water meter was read (the last time being maybe four years ago).
Nowadays every man and his dog are berating the company because of estimated readings and the newest one being meter accuracy, and I tried to recall when last I have seen anyone complain about an estimated bill from the NWC. The answer is obvious though, as water rates in the scheme of things are low, but can that be a sufficient reason in principle?
A few years ago when the Minister of Finance announced a tax on gasoline which would put gas to $19 per litre, we just about burnt down the country. We now pay $53 for the same commodity and I do not see one placard suggesting that this will put an end to life as we know it.
I did an informal poll recently and realised that I and many of my friends pay more in telecommunication bills (telephone fixed and mobile, and Internet) than I do for water and electricity combined. I am willing to bet that many of my placard-bearing, JPS-bashing countrymen also find themselves in the same position. Indeed some of these same Jamaicans give their six-year-olds cellular phones and purchase thousands of dollars in prepaid cards monthly.
Can anyone tell me why it is so much more palatable to spend $100 per day on prepaid cellular calls (or $3,000 per month) and yet unbearable to spend a similar amount for electricity?
I am, etc.,
GARTH McKENZIE
j.mckenzie@cwjamaica.com
Hellshire, St. Catherine
Via Go-Jamaica
