Port Maria mayor chides JPS for collecting payment for inoperable streetlights

 

Mayor of Port Maria, Richard Creary, has accused the Jamaica Public Service Company of swindling government funds by collecting payments for streetlights that have been rendered inoperable across St. Mary.

 

Mayor Creary blasted the light and power company and said it is acting under false pretence to the detriment of Jamaicans.   

 

He argued that the practice of not fixing downed streetlights is a revenue gaining measure employed by the JPS. 

 

"We have 2,000 lights in the parish and 500 not working at any given time. These streetlights work on a flat rate. They don't have a meter attached to them. So let us say for argument's sake, it is $1 million for the 2,000 lights. If 500 not working, we should not be paying $1 million. We should be paying $750,000. But the government every month will pay $1 million. 

 

"So it is not in the interest of JPS to fix these lights. The more lights not working is the more money JPS makes because they don't have to use any electricity to provide light for those streetlights. So it's less electricity to use but they get the same amount of money," the mayor reasoned.

 

Mr. Creary also called for the government to disburse the funds spent on powering streetlights to the municipal corporation for a more efficient use of government expenditure. 

 

"...Send us the funds. Let us do an audit at any given time and we will say, 'JPS, this is what you are being paid for this month.' We have done several audits over the years and we are still at square one where we continue to pay JPS for lights not working, and over last year into this year it has gotten worse," he lamented.