Jamaica Public Service Company gives in

• Power company to probe whether high light bills are its fault

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has admitted the possibility that it is at fault for the massive electricity bills many of its customers have faced in recent months.

But that has failed to stave off protests and demonstrations against the company planned for today.

With public pressure mounting, the board of directors of the JPS yesterday expressed regret at the billing challenges facing its customers over the past few months and indicated that it would check to see if the problem is in its meter-replacement programme.

"The board of directors has instructed the JPS to immediately contract the services of an independent external auditor to undertake an audit into the meter-replacement programme and the billing of customers," the company said in a release.

"A key focus of the audit will be the complaints by some of our valued customers that upon the installation of new meters their bills have substantially increased without any justification. The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) will be kept abreast of the progress of the audit and the findings," added the release.

Decision welcomed

The decision by the JPS to contract an independent auditor was immediately welcomed by former head of the OUR, Winston Hay, who argued that this is something the company should have done long ago.

"It is amazing that the JPS has ignored the protests of its customers for so long," Hay told The Gleaner.

Hay noted that some persons will question the independence of the external auditor contracted by the company but that is not a concern he shares.

"A company like the JPS would have no reason to try to bamboozle the people because that would come out in the wash and make matters worse," Hay argued.

In its release, the JPS board had argued that the replacement of old meters is a standard practice around the world and an aspect of any loss-reduction programme.

But the company accepted that any clear case of irregularity or breach on its part should be addressed.

That was not enough to satisfy president of the People's National Party's Youth Organisation, Junior Rose, who told The Gleaner that the call for Jamaicans to wear black today remains and a planned march on the company will still take place.

"We could not put off the march because we have a letter to deliver to the company in which we will be making certain recommendations and we will have to deliver it," Rose told The Gleaner.

Among the recommendations from the PNP youth arm are the introduction of a flat rate for the inner city and a special deal in terms of the pricing of fuel for the JPS.

Other entities which cross the political divide have also supported the call for Jamaicans to wear black today in protest against the high JPS bills.

Leading the way is government Senator Dennis Meadows who says he is "motivated and compelled by his own experience with the company and numerous reports received from the consuming public on the unfair and exploitative practices of the JPS".

According to Meadows, this symbolic gesture will go a far way in sending a message of intolerance and impatience to the JPS without disrupting the country.