JPS rates increasing 10%

[Rob]

want to run a business in negril?..then you better get use to one step forward and three steps back...

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.

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.

[Accompong]

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,
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