JCC seeks strong action against public utilities vandalism

The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) has intensified its call for the government to take strong, decisive action to address the multi-million theft and vandalism of public utilities, with President Michael McMorris likening the ongoing theft to a situation where “crooks walk out the front door with your product every day”

McMorris who delivered the keynote address at Friday’s launch of the occupational standards for electric hybrid vehicles and training of first responders deviated from his prepared text to appeal to the government to make this a priority issue.

“I was gonna wrap up, but I can’t leave without speaking about another problem that sometimes seems unsolvable, but one that we must also target and that is the utility theft and vandalism. Picture a business where crooks walk out the front door with your product every day.

“Last year, some $200-billion worth was stolen in broad daylight from JPS (Jamaica Public Service) and the cost of vandalism and theft is a small part of that, the majority of it is actually in your power plant, we pay for that. That dampens any impulse toward trying to create something new, trying to swing for the fences, taking a risk here, taking a risk there because the money is flowing right out of the door,” McMorris charged.

ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM

“You have got to address that problem,” he demanded. “The JCC calls on the government to increase the pace of update on the legislative sanctions against perpetrators and also to continue building co-operation on the formulation of the national loss-reduction plan. Yesterday, we issued a release in support of FLOW’s efforts to stem the tide of crime against utilities and JPS is in the same boat as FLOW or even worse.”

The JCC president pointed out that it is the job of the government and the constabulary to protect the utility companies from crime.

“Utilities are a critical part of our economy in so many ways. We, as the private sector want to support the government and the constabulary in this effort and we urge them, come to the table with the national loss-reduction plan. We call on them and we stand ready to help in that effort,” he at a function held at Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.

This follows the call by JCC Past President Ian Neita last Thursday who highlighted the impact of theft and vandalism on FLOW’s operations over the past several years.

“We have seen the reports indicating that public institutions on which large numbers of Jamaicans are dependent for health, security, educational and other services, have been periodically denied access by the theft and damage of equipment and supplies. In some particularly egregious cases, these actions take place in the same location as many as three or four times annually,” Neita noted.

Legislative sanctions, the JCC believes, must address the grave social and economic harm that ensues from such practices.

The lobby group said it was evident that in some cases, the existing prescriptions under the Larceny Act, the Malicious Destruction of Property Act and other pieces of legislation, do not adequately reflect the serious nature of the actions and no longer have a deterring effect on perpetrators.