To those of you out there who think their monthly Light
Bills are high now, you're in for a big
surprise. With the price of a barrel of crude
approaching $100.00 and with the fact that the
present LEAC is based upon a $65.00 per barrel fuel cost
along with the Public Service
Commission’s failure to pass along the latest increase
in the fuel cost escalator from WAPA to the
consumer, there looms the crisis to WAPA and, more
importantly, the beleaguered consumer.
As a result of these staggering numbers, the utility is
experiencing a shortfall of $3-4,000,000 per
month. What business could survive this drain.
WAPA is approaching one of the most severe cash flow
problems it has ever had in its history.
We, as consumers are reaching the point of having to
choose between putting food on our table,
turning on our lights, buying needed medicines or
putting gas in our cars.
The government itself is party to this problem. The
Government of the Virgin Islands owes a
whopping $18,000,000 to WAPA, which it cavalierly
disregards.
Let you or me not pay our utility bill and see how
quickly we find ourselves in the dark.
It is time for leaders to lead; whether it be WAPA , the
Legislature or the Executive branches of
the Government. There are solutions; energy costs have
been studied ad nauseum. There have
been numerous Public studies offered as well as Private
sector solutions to address these problems
whether it be alternative energy sources or different
forms of fuels or technologies.
The inability of our leadership to resolve this crisis
has far-reaching negative economic and social
ramifications. We no longer have the luxury of talking
about the issue; we have to face it head-on.
We call upon the leadership to treat this issue for what
it is - a crisis. The governor of the Virgin
Islands should call together the stakeholders, those of
WAPA and the Legislature, to sit down at a
Summit to present recommendations and concrete options
to solve this crisis.
After agreeing upon a solution or solutions the governor
should set a time certain for
implementation. The initiative should have the priority
of the space race back in the 60’s which
put a man on the moon.
It may even mean supplementing the existing bonding
authority of WAPA. Let there be no doubt,
this could cost hundreds of millions of dollars up
front. It is now time to bite the bullet and accept
the reality that we have no choice but to solve it. The
alternative is unthinkable.