BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN recent weeks, the Electricity Department has been overcrowded with long lines of consumers, some of whom, were trying to pay their water and electricity bills to avoid disconnection.
According to a number of persons from various areas around the island, employees from the Water and Electricity Departments were frequently seen in neighbourhoods disconnecting electricity and water supply to many residents since early November.
Announcements were made on various radio stations urging consumers to visit the Electricity and Water Departments’ offices to settle their outstanding payments.
SKNVibes spoke with one woman who had paid her bill shortly before the time of discussion. “I like to try pay up my bills them around this time because during the Christmas people spend a lot of money, then January they brokes. So even if am broke, at least my bills are cleared,” she said.
A man said he had paid the greater part of his water bill because he had never before made a payment, noting that he saw “some workers from the Water Department were doing disconnections in my area”.
According to Bertil Brown, Manager of the Electricity Department, the office is usually packed with bills-paying people at the end of each month.
“I do not know if there is any other special reason why the office has been so full at this time, but the line is usually a long line at the end of each month,” he added.
Asked about the presence of disconnection crews currently seen around the island, Brown said the department has a disconnection programme and disconnections are normally done to people who are in arrears, “so this is nothing new”.
