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As reported by the Jamaica Gleaner. This drastic increase is a direct result of the devaluation of the Jamaican currency (at the pleasure of the IMF). I empathize with all Jamaicans struggling to survive.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=43560
Yeah..it kinna bothers me, when I see posts on the board how happy people are when the exchange rate goes up......
so many of who are referred to as my "Jamaican Friends" , by those people are going to suffer for it, and it means so little of a increase for most of us .....I wouldn't wish that on my friends......
but I guess it human nature when we get some "extra" for our $$......just keep going as long as you can..they will need it. Bless 'em all.....
and the water rates are also expected to rise. The JA National Water Commission has applied for a 19 percent rate increase.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=44567
That article was from March... there is no increase at the current time.
My JPS rate has remained the same over the last 3 months....
Don't know what you're talking about
Cap
My apology to one and all for making this misleading and inaccurate post. I based my post on believing what I read on the Jamaica-Gleaner website. (link attached in original post) I won't make the mistake of believing what I read on the Jamaica Gleaner website again!:(
After a little research on my part, I learned the JPS made a submission (dated April 3, 2013) to the Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) for an overall adjustment of 10.35% to the non-fuel base electricity rates for the period of June 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014. I have not gleaned any reliable information on whether this submission for a rate adjustment will be, or has been, approved or denied by the OUR.
As for the devaluation of the Jamaican currency, and the IMF's direct influence on that, I regret the hardship it will inflict on the Jamaican
people. It disturbs me when visitors to Jamaica naively cheer the $J falling to an exchange rate approaching 100 to 1 against the US
greenback. (This is solely my opinion).
Rob correctly said, there is no increase at the current time. Great line for the subject at hand!
Thank you sunray for taking the time to check out and clarify your original post. Nuff Respect on dat! The "..visitors to Jamaica naively cheer the $J falling to an exchange rate approaching 100 to 1 against the US greenback" is an opinion shared by many of us (especially those who live in Jamaica).Quote:
Originally Posted by sunray
When it comes to the proposed rate increase, the currency devaluation is one facet of the equation and the austerity that needs to be imposed on Jamaica for "out of control" spending for many years is certainly a major part of the problem. I also think the common practice of "stealing electricity" through illegal "bridges" and such coupled with the rising price of fuel needed to power the plants can't be discounted either.
Jamaica still has a lot of pain to endure but, in the end, the patient has a good prognosis of getting well again. I, for one, will gladly (and begrudgingly) pay the increase (if it ever gets approved) as long as increase in revenue actually results in a better electrical service.
Peace and Guidance
want to run a business in negril?..then you better get use to one step forward and three steps bac:cool:k...
Accompong,
Good reasoning. Here where I live property taxes have gone through the roof and every year we are faced with 5, 8, 10% increases yet there is no positive correlation in what the town does for us. The tax increases are to offset deficits that the past 10 administrations have created yet nobody is held accountable for their mistakes. You or me don't pay our taxes we get a lien applied, don't pay the mortgage, foreclosure. It seems universal that those in power can do as they please with the worst case scenario getting voted out of office at which time they have already pilfered and profited at the expense of the average man and woman.
Hmmm.... In my 18 years running and operating businesses in Negril, I havent found this situation to be true for me. Even on the worst of days I find the situation to be one step forward and one step back. I try to keep my eye on the next goal, move forward and always seem to make it there.Quote:
Originally Posted by lanetop
I first started an internet business before there was even internet available on the island, there simply wasnt any internet company on the island yet. Using a Motorola cell modem back in 1994 and 1995 to call Miami at 1.2kps makes a 56K dial modems feel like broadband! And the cost per second through TOJ (Telecommunications of Jamaica - the phone company prior to C&W and Lime) was outrageous back then! One month I was tapped for us$14,000. But that was the cost of doing business back then in a brand new field and I was ready and expecting to pay that cost.
While JPS rates are high, the costs I incurred back then makes the JPS bills seem like pocket change now. And JPS has come a long way, back in 94 and 95, the electricity was off more than it was on.
As far as businesses go, I have seen many businesses fail, especially when they didnt do their homework first. If you dont know what to expect, even the smallest setback can feel like an insurmountable hurdle.
For the average household consumer, JPS bills can be very burdensome. And with the number of illegal connections, which there are still many (about 10,000 illegal connections were stopped in Kingston in February alone) raise the JPS rates for everyone. Stopping the illegal connections is helping to offset some of the proposed rate increases. Getting more people paying for their usage is spreading the cost over a larger base - thus lowering the costs per person.
Rob,Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob
I have certainly witnessed this in Accompong Town. Although there was some current 20 some years ago, there was no reliable current until about 5 years ago. At that time I would estimate only 45-50% of the people using electricity, were paying for it. Now, less than 5% are still using "bridges" and enforcement is getting better at catching those who still practice it.
Even with the remoteness of Accompong Town, the current is on nearly all the time now and the "browning down" effect that was common and caused electrical appliances to go bad is rare to almost non-existent.
I think that JPS has a hard job stopping all the illegal connections but they are putting a lot of effort into stopping what they can.
Peace and Guidance
The way I see it is the better the exchange rate the more money iam likely to bring and spend.. On this trip we are bringing a lot more money than we need.. But I want lots of wood carvings for gifts and for my own home.. I want a kete drum to bring back.. Other art for the house.. I want fruit from the vendors.. I want patties from patty man.. I want cheap jewellery for the girls at home... I need to buy clothes cuz we are packing mostly stuff to give away to the youths.. Yeah I know I want a lot but iam American that's what we do..
Point is iam gonna spending my money with the locals and I know my money will help out some.. Ohh yeah I need a huge bag of subs too.. So yeah, I've been saving a lot from my paychecks along with taking my tax returns..
But I understand the government adding taxes and who it affects the most.. Respect!!
When I was in Treasure Beach last month, we rented an entire small hotel at a much lower rate than is normally charged, but agreed to pay the electric bill separately.
We were very conscious of our energy use as a result (no one was leaving the AC on when not in the room, or using it all for the most part as we had terrific ceiling fans and good ventilation), and our bill was much lower than anticipated.
I wonder if more and more hotels will move toward charging for AC or electric specifically.
Is there much use of solar panels in Jamaica?