The assertions of electrical disconnections occurring for as little as $20 or $30 around the nation have been refuted by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (Vinlec), the sole electricity provider in the country, has initiated a disconnection campaign, encouraging consumers to settle their outstanding payments in their entirety prior to July 31st.
According to Gonsalves, in relation to the current matter being discussed, it is believed that the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines possess a satisfactory level of maturity and education, which would prevent them from being deceived or misled by anyone.
“There’s a woman from my constituency who came to see me, and when she finished dealing with what she came for, she said to me, Comrade Vinlec, dread this week. I said they cut you off. She said no. I say, Do you know anybody around you who got cut off? She said no, but she heard plenty of people getting cut off”.
“She didn’t get cut off. She didn’t know anybody around in her village who got cut off, but Vinlec dread, because that was the message”.
During an exercise that began on July 24, 2023, electricity supply was discontinued only for customers who did not met the aforementioned standard criteria. Less than two percent of our 48,581 account holders were affected during this exercise.
Gonsalves said, by way of information, that Vinlec should have nipped the misinformation in the bud early.
“All these things about people owing $20 getting cut off, It’s just not true. because I asked that question myself and they told me, No, that’s not true. $20, $30, $40, it’s just not true”.
The St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) has announced in a press release its intention to implement additional measures aimed at addressing the matter of unsettled payment balances in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
According to the company, customers who have consecutive unpaid bills or accounts with a balance carried forward (often referred to as arrears) are subject to disconnection in accordance with the usual operational procedures.
According to a recent statement by Dr. Vaughn Lewis, the Chief Executive Officer of St. Vincent energy Services (VINLEC), the typical home consumer utilizes an average of 140 units of energy each month.
According to Lewis, the average residential customer’s monthly usage of 140 units implies that they are exempt from paying value-added tax (VAT) on their bills. VAT is only applicable to customers who consume 250 units or more.
