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Gov’t subsidy does not cover December electricity consumption- BVIEC GM clarifies

- said if persons put up a ton of Christmas lights in December they can expect a huge ‘unsubsidised’ bill in January
General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A.E. Abraham is reminding the public that the 100 percent subsidy on the fuel surcharge for December is for electricity consumption in November. Photo: VINO
 The Christmas season is often a time when persons decorate their homes and yards with lots of beautiful and sometimes extravagant lights, helping to usher in the spirit of the season. Photo: Internet Source
The Christmas season is often a time when persons decorate their homes and yards with lots of beautiful and sometimes extravagant lights, helping to usher in the spirit of the season. Photo: Internet Source
POCKWOOD POND, Tortola, VI- The Christmas season is often a time when people decorate their homes and yards with lots of beautiful and sometimes extravagant lights, helping to usher in the spirit of the season.

And with the Unity Government announcing 100 percent subsidy on the fuel surcharge for residential customers of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) for December, some persons may misinterpret that to mean they can go ahead and put up a lot of lights this Christmas.

While General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A.E. Abraham is not discouraging anyone from decorating their homes with lots of Christmas lights, he is reminding them to expect a “huge” bill in December.

Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5), in a statement on September 12, 2022, said Government will be subsidising 50% of the fuel oil surcharge on residential electricity bills for the months of October and November 2022, and for the month of December 2022, the subsidy will be 100% of the fuel oil surcharge for residential electricity bills.

December consumption ‘not subsidised’- Abraham

Mr Abraham, speaking to Virgin Islands News Online, explained that the electricity bill customers will receive in December, which will get 100 percent of the fuel surcharge subsidised, is based on the November consumption.

“A lot of persons don’t realise that electricity is one of the last industries that operate in a post-paid market, so the credit that went on for October was based on your September consumption and then your October consumption will be the 50 percent credit in November and then your November consumption will be the 100 percent credit for December.

“So if people are going to put up a ton of Christmas lights in December they will get a huge bill in January, which is not subsidised,” Mr Abraham stated.

The General Manager said he wanted to make that “abundantly clear” because, unfortunately, “some people think it is the same month that you get the bill is when you use electricity but the meter has to be read…”

‘BVIEC continues to preach energy conservation’

Mr Abraham said, recognising the high cost of fuel globally, BVIEC continues to preach and promote energy conservation.

“That’s the low-hanging fruit in terms of reduction to your energy bill. The energy bill is totally associated with consumption, so if you can reduce your consumption then that will actually reduce your electricity bill, particularly at a time when fuel prices are escalating.”

19 Responses to “Gov’t subsidy does not cover December electricity consumption- BVIEC GM clarifies”

  • kite Rhymie (17/11/2022, 13:54) Like (21) Dislike (9) Reply
    Wow we were tricked by the unity government
    • Bills vs Consumption (17/11/2022, 14:15) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
      There was no trick. It was specificied that bills for October, November and December not electricity consumed for October November and December.

      October bill is generally September consumption and the like.
    • Reading Is Fundamental (17/11/2022, 14:19) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
      @kite
      You were not tricked. You got two months of reduced bills (ours was $12). This month is the third. They delivered as promised.

      Mr. Abraham should have noted that LED Christmas lights will greatly reduce your bill over the old screw-in bulb type. One of our neighbors hung a lot of those lights and was shocked to get a $1,000 bill!
    • Gus Gus (17/11/2022, 15:50) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
      Got Ya!!! Tricked you were.....Got Ya!!
  • Sara (17/11/2022, 14:15) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well the Minister said differently so he needs to clarify. He said half subsidy for October/November and full subsidy for December.
  • Really??? (17/11/2022, 14:28) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    These MS just won't quit lying, tricking and cheating the people of the BVI.
  • Careless spending Gm (17/11/2022, 14:33) Like (16) Dislike (4) Reply
    Explain not giving the employees a raise in your 23 years as general manager.
  • Help (17/11/2022, 14:38) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    I didn't receive a reduction in September. My regular bill for September was paid in October but I did see the 50% applied for October which was paid in November.
    • Me (18/11/2022, 07:38) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      #Help...same here. I had no reduction in my September bill. We were tricked!
  • Me (17/11/2022, 15:21) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    I thought that what the Minister said was what it supposed to be. My September consumption which was from Aug 21 - Sept 20 and was supposed to be paid on October 21, 2022 was regular. So how can you say September was subsidised? What happened to my half month of September usage?
    People this is very confusing.......

  • aiR (17/11/2022, 15:59) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Minister said 50% for October and November and 100% for December.

    Fix it from now GM.
  • Reality check (17/11/2022, 16:05) Like (6) Dislike (8) Reply
    I would like to know why there is a new fleet of BVIEC trucks instead of making do and keeping our power bills lower? Have any expenses been cut to reduce our power bills? I suspect that just as our government didn't reduce any expenses during lockdown, BVIEC has been spending as usual and just billing us for any additional expenses. I would like to see audits of the GSB's!!
  • c (17/11/2022, 20:28) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    What a confusing bunch of bull
  • Wow, wow (17/11/2022, 23:20) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well, this Well, this is something that does not always surprise me at Christmastime, The electricity bill is very expensive, even if you decorate your houses with Christmas lights or not, This is something that I have lived through years after years, so finally, if you do not plan to decorate your home Now in December so that the light does not reach you, very expensive, I have bad news for you, it is better to decorate because if you do not do it as you want, the light will come out but very expensive????????????????
  • Disgusted (18/11/2022, 07:35) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    What more must people do to help mankind? One tries to do good and instead of saying thank you, we slaughter and disparage at the slightest, for want of a better word, laspe in judgement.

    The Honerable may have sought clarity on the billing system and possibly did not clearly understood how it works, or possibly he did not take the time to seek clarity. Any which way, I am sure his intentions must have been at a good place for him to make such a gesture. Did he have to? No! Is he the one in our homes refusing to let conservation be our best friend? We need to stop it man. Nothing anyone does will ever be good enough for some of us.

    Had the Honerable understood clearly he probably would have said the months of November, December and January to allow for the subsidy to reflect for the festive months, but such is now not the case. People, it behooves us then to be wise as we celebrate Christmas. Why cant we just look at it that way?

    Everything is negativity and trickery for us but then again such is the way of man! This is the best of us! Now go ahead and pay your damn December bill in "full" because is you burn your electricity not the Honerable and not the Unity Government.

    Some of us will not escape prison because we are too licky licky want freeness and wouldn't mind if it were all year round.

    Applaud the initiative, take what is offered and brace for return of normalcy. Mi tiad a unuh. Kmdt.
  • Really (19/11/2022, 07:10) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    When are you are dumb folks going to wake up. These government are puppets they call no shots. They know the elites own their faggot butts. It should have no electricity bill if your smart. No money of you have knowledge,but you all don't so they can use these games on you all. Don't you see what's happening all over the world with the electricity which they control and use against us. When are you all going to come out the box and stop thinking we're conspiracy theorist. It's facts but you being brainwashed with the dumb teaching you Will never understand. The system made it that you have kids and they call all the shots. When your pregnant you go to the doctor's and they give you the prenatal vitamins which is deadly just read the bottle.them your baby is born amd they injected them with aborted fetus which is in all vaccines. Then three months they go into the system because you have to work to pay bills . When did you make any decisions during all this transactions because that's what it is. Wake up you been tricked about the world. Devil run this Earth and you can see it but money makes you blind
  • Struggling teacher (19/11/2022, 09:58) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I had not reduction in my bill for October (September service) either, only in the bill for November, that means they did not deduct the 50 % on September as he is saying.
  • To Bills vs Consumption (19/11/2022, 10:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Then adjust the billing for the said month.
    It is not right.
    Let make payment in November for October, December for November and in January for December.
    In that way it will comply with what Hon. Rymer request.
  • St Nicholas (19/11/2022, 15:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    MERRY CHRISTMAS !!


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