KINGSTON, Jamaica — Small Businesses Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) President, Garnett Reid, is appealing to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to discontinue the proposed seven per cent increase in electricity rates, stating that Jamaicans are already burdened with some of the highest electricity bills in the world.

“Considering the billions of dollars in profits they have made over the years, we question where these profits have gone and why the company is seeking to further burden Jamaicans and asking them to lend them a $150 million dollars loan and also received a drawdown of US$50 million from OUR,” Reid said in a statement.

Reid pointed out that Jamaica is still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Melissa and that this is not the time to increase electricity bills.

“Where is the compassion of other shareholders, including Japan and Korea, to consider the Jamaican people?” he said.

Reid also highlighted the impact of the high cost of businesses, citing examples of companies like Icool, Colgate and Palmolive, which were closed and have already left Jamaica for other Caribbean countries like Trinidad and Barbados with more competitive energy rates.

“We cannot afford [for] JPS to drive away more businesses from Jamaica,” he said.

The Small Businesses Association of Jamaica is also calling on the Government to break the monopoly and invite other power companies to operate, and for Jamaicans to explore alternative energy sources like solar.