Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake said on Monday that he was very pleased with the discussions that took place last week with NV GEBE and Senior Citizens representative organizations regarding bringing relief to the country’s seniors on utility bills.
“This is the first time of a pilot senior citizen relief program in the Dutch Caribbean and the Kingdom. I invited the various senior citizens representative organizations to give their input and be part of the process before the relief program is implemented at the beginning of July.
“The purpose of the meeting was to establish first that the reduction will be fair to all seniors across the board, but that the criteria should be for seniors that are in need,” Minister Hon. Maurice Lake pointed out on Monday.
Senior citizens representative organizations have volunteered to assist NV GEBE where it concerns filling out registration forms that started on Monday. These forms are available at NV GEBE main office on the Pondfill and at its Customer Care Desk at the NV GEBE Sub Branch in Simpson Bay. NV GEBE will also communicate this week with respect to the relief program.
NV GEBE is also prepared to provide energy saving light bulbs to seniors and will be working with senior citizen groups with respect to this, and plans to carry out a community awareness program to promote energy saving bulbs within the community.
The senior citizens groups thanked the Minister for requesting the input of the organizations, adding that this was the first of a Minister to seek their input on this issue, and seeking their active involvement in the process with the filling out of forms.
“As Minister I am an open book, and I like everything to be transparent. The senior citizens groups are stakeholders and their input is necessary for this relief program to be a success and a win-win for our seniors.
“This approach is the first step to bring relief to our seniors by getting them involved in the process and then communicate again with them to make sure we all are on the same page with the relief. I have learnt from the past where previous Governments made decisions and announcements to the general public without the input of the seniors or giving them a reduction in cents which frustrates them even more.
“I like to listen to our senior citizens representative groups, and they came up with great ideas of reducing the fuel clause and other suggestions for us to bring more relief to the seniors. If we listen more, we learn more together, and are able to create win-win solutions for all further improving the quality of life of our people. It’s all about going back to basics, back to the people and working with the people,” Minister Maurice Lake pointed out.
Minister Lake disclosed on Monday that NV GEBE is also working on reducing the general fuel clause for all NV GEBE consumers through alternative energy sources.
“I believe we are on the right track by taking everything one step at a time, with firstly, reducing the fuel clause for the senior citizens starting the first week in July. We have to start somewhere.
“NV GEBE will then look into lowering the fuel clause for the general public through alternative energy such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other possible sources. The company has already started to study the possibilities and have the studies and research completed by August.
“I have taken note of MP Hon. Roy Marlin’s motion in Parliament and we are diligently working on the different aspects. I have also taken note of the agreement signed in The Netherlands with respect to research into the possibilities of geothermal energy. NV GEBE is already looking into this as well, because it is very important to explore the various alternatives that may exists.
“As Minister, I made the promise to the seniors about bringing relief, and I am happy we are very close to fulfilling this promise with the input of the senior citizen associations. I will continue working hard to reduce the fuel clause for the general public with the assistance of NV GEBE,” Minister Maurice Lake concluded.
Minister Lake in the meeting also recommended to NV GEBE to assist the seniors by contributing to repairing the kitchen cabinets and putting two ramps at the John Larmonie Center in order to make the facility more accessible for our seniors. Seniors utilize the center on a regular basis for recreational and social activities. The organization that Patsy Flanders is part of takes care of the aforementioned.
