Water rates gone up!
The Public Utilities Commission has approved an increase in water rates. The new rates took effect on April first, at the same time the dreaded increase of an overall twelve and a half percent tax on GST came on line. Though the water increase isn’t the twenty-five percent initially requested by Belize Water Services Ltd. it will still put a considerable spike in your monthly bill. BWS which is majority owned by the government, sought an increase to fund several expansion projects which it outlined in a five-year business plan. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was at the press conference today where the PUC outlined how it arrived at the rate increase.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The Public Utilities Commission after several objections by BWS including recommendations made by an independent expert today held a press conference to discuss how they arrived at the recent increase which also came into effect on April first.
Leroy Almendarez, Director of Administration and Rate Settings, PUC
“In BWSL’s initial plan they had said they needed roughly a hundred and sixteen million dollars alright. There was a revised capital expenditure if you will and that revised capital expenditure that they sent in because one of the things we had to know was what are those critical expenditure that they needed to keep themselves operational but also to ensure that there was reliability of service, that people could get pressure etcetera. And so based on that the whole capital expenditure plan was revised from, the PUC had approved if you will in their initial decision some fifty-seven million dollars. But after revision and after looking at sources because you have to look at BWSL and whether or not it would be able to finance its operations solely from internal sources or external sources.”
According to Almendarez the approved capital expenditure for BWS is in the area of forty and a half million dollars. The company is comprised of eighty-three percent of shares owned by government; the Social Security Board which has a ten percent interest and smaller shareholders who make up the remaining seven percent. The decision of the PUC took into consideration the current economic climate.
Leroy Almendarez
Leroy Almendarez
“We figured by adopting or by approving that forty point four five because it comes with a rate of return, by adopting that it gives them a level of financiability, you will be able to finance your operations etcetera equitably and that is solely dependent on their internal operations. They can still get external funding but we do not want that to be the restricting factor but the final decision is a commission decision.”
BWSL has been furnished with additional details of the investments and expenditures approved by the commission. Over the Full Tariff Period the company will realize an additional twenty million dollars from consumers. Reporting for News Five, Isani Cayetano.
Now look at this. Poverty rates increased, GST increased, fuel price up, everything increasing when this government promised to lower the cost of living? What kind of nonsense is this? The government has got to do something about this. What about the minimum wages? These have to be adjusted to because citizens have got to find more income to subsidize all the increases coming from everywhere. Has anyone checked on this government to see if they have any secret arrangements like the previous party had. This is absolutely ridiculous. These idiots that we elected in government are only thinking about their personal pockets and enriching themselves in the 5-year term that they’ll serve this country.
Oh lawd have mussy……..this was expected but I am gonna wait for the relief……I would think that if BWS extended it customer base rates would go down…but I assume that leakages from old pipes are a dire problem and they would need fixing that is why they need the increase!….I sure hope they use this increase for the right purposes…investment in repairs and expansion…not to fat the pockets of anyone or pay off undeserved loans where the proceeds were siffoned off to the wealthy…….orelse…..revolution up inna Belize…..cuz Belizeans stop tek fool from anybody……..
Everytime I listen to US NEWS and they talk about the economy, by raising TAXES, Belize Follows, The US can do such, because of the little money they have left PLUS the one BORROWED FROM CHINA, TRILLION $$$$$$. Belize Cannot compete on this level. They can’t even pay the CHEAPEST MIN WAGE earned by the US which is $10.50, how can you raise taxes when the economy is so BAD on these POOR PEOPLE. BELIZEANS AWAKEN FROM YOUR SLUMBER AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD ON THE RADIO, ON TV AND INFRONT OF GOV’T/PRIVATE OFFICES that are responsible for your grief.
thank you sash for the idea of making a protest or statements but THESE IDIOTS DON’T WANT TO LISTEN TO OUR CRIES. ALL THEY THINK IS THE MONEY THEY GET END OF THE MONTH WHILE WE STRETCH OUR DOLLAR TO SURVIVE EACH THEY.
Uno done seh it ! Madasssssss even water di go up what kind a nonsense dis right ya da Taiwan i can wash mi buttttttt for an entire month and just pay 3.00BZ o my goshhhhhhhhhh thisss Government no di do dem job…. I wonder but them have no worries they even bathe in jacuziiiiiiiiii with petals and perfume and even tek an hour fu finish and we madassssssss we no even have money fu eat and now prices go up i think i just guen da Macal riverrrrrrrrrrrrr you done know fu take a bath and no payyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy……….