By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) is selling dreams to citizens as it proposes an electricity rate increase.
This is the declaration of former government minister Austin Jack Warner who slammed the RIC saying when government decides to pay their outstanding bills to the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC), then they should go to the ordinary “poor people” to collect their dues.
Warner spoke during the open mic session for attendees at the RIC’s first public consultation at the Centre of Excellence Macoya on Tuesday evening on the proposed rate hike.
He started: “My name is Jack Warner,” a statement that was accompanied by loud applause.
Warner said, “I come here with a heavy heart because in every field of endeavour, I see the poor people of this country are suffering and have suffered.”
Opposition Senator Anil Roberts was the first public speaker after the RIC executive made their presentations and his statements were endorsed by the latter speaker.
Warner said while he heard that the RIC was to look after the interest of the customer, at no time during the consultation did he hear about the customer’s interest.
He said, “I have been told you have to pay the increase first and then get the benefits after. That can’t be right. You have to first give us the benefits and then let us pay for those benefits.”
Warner said as a country producing oil and gas, the citizens should benefit from that.
“Why are we imposing those rates on the poor people?” he asked.
In his travels throughout the country, recreation grounds were lit throughout the nighttime period with no users and questioned who pays those bills.
Referring to government ministries of which he was involved previously in two, he said he was aware of ministries which are not paying their electricity bills.
Warner asked, “Why not? Why don’t they pay their bills before you come to the poor people to try to put the burden on them?”
He further said, “I cannot understand the logic to come here today to tell the people here or to justify why there must be an increase. It is wrong.”
He also said, “I cannot remember anytime T&TEC come and fix anybody fridge or computer or anything when the voltage go high. I have no record whatsoever and I lost two computers.”
“What you are selling us Madam chairman is you are selling us dreams and we tired dream,” Warner told RIC’s chair Dawn Callender.
Callender given a personal example said she lost a television, applied to T&TEC and was compensated, making at clear that at the time, she was not the chairman of the RIC.
“I was a regular citizen,” she said, adding that others were also compensated.
Responding to Warner, Callender also said the RIC has pointed out to T&TEC that they need to ensure more efficient use of electricity as it related to the recreational grounds.
Based on her research, energy rich Norway’s rate was three times the current rates in Trinidad and Tobago but Warner fired back that Norway was a poor comparison given that country’s wealth and dissemination of it to its citizens.
He also said businesses having to pay for electricity reserves were “wicked and cruel,” as he previously said they should only pay for what they use.
There was no further mention on the issue of government ministries owing T&TEC.
Member of Parliament for St Augustine Khadijah Ameen and other activists were among the several attendees voicing their opinion.
The consultations continued on Thursday night at the Arima Community Centre.
One person said he was not against the increased rates but on the timing of it.
Also speaking on Thursday night was Member of Parliament for Princes Town Barry Padarath, and Opposition Senator David Nakhid.
