Dear Editor,

We, who number 10 retired professionals, have groaned with the hundreds of Jamaicans now complaining daily about Jamaica Public Service (JPS). We groaned yesterday when we got the new bill, whiched moved from $4,000 to $40,000 in one instance and from $5,000 to $70,000 in another.

For more than 50 years we have watched JPS take us on the merry-go-round of giving us good service sometimes, bad service very often, and no service regularly.

Last week we heard the minister in charge of essential services pleading with the JPS to help the people of Jamaica who are suffering from abusively high charges and very poor customer service. Poor people call the radio stations daily for help, but to no avail. This JPS monoply must end.

JPS and National Water Commission (NWC) have hired the best honey-lipped public relations officers in the world, but they have not been able to appease the ever-expanding number of angry Jamaicans who want to join us in protest to demand that we get rid of JPS and NWC.

Those of us more advanced in age have to do something about this everlasting problem. We are in the departure lounge of our lives, but we want to ensure that a reliable, essential service is left for our grandchildren. We are saying no more monopoly.

The highly paid consultants at JPS and NWC need to be made redundant immediately. This JPS- and NWC-controlled business can no longer work. It is best that we bring in foreign-based companies to set up essential services in Cornwall, Middlesex, and Surrey so that even the poor in the hills can afford electricity. Let us have Cornwall electric services, Middlesex electric services, and Surrey electric services. Competition is the answer. Same with water. Let the new companies provide electricity and water for all the people on the island by the end of 2022, if not before.

We will demonstrate with the posters we are making, some of which read, “No more monopoly! Stop JPS and NWC now!” and “Stop JPS and NWC abuse!” Thousands of dollars will be saved when the new companies come. There will be no need for people to steal electricity when electricity and water become affordable for everyone, even in the deepest, darkest corners of the island. There will be no need for the enormous amount spent on public relations consultants. This has to stop.

Although we are in the “can hardly stage” of our lives, we are prepared to help to pay off the JPS as we did the International Monetary Fund. Let the Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke call us as we prepare to demonstrate with our posters.

Veronica Blake Carnegie

veronica_carnegie@cwjamaica.com