Princes Town MP Barry Padarath has accused the government of “driving T&TEC to the ground” as its largest debtor.
He made the comment during the Opposition’s press conference on Sunday, where he spoke in general about the local electricity commission and the higher rates being proposed.
Padarath said citizens should not have to pay drastically higher T&TEC rates in order to compensate for the state’s failure to pay its bills.
He said, “What you will have happening is that people will be unable to sustain themselves. “This is against the backdrop of massive unemployment in this country, where cost of living is so high.”
T&TEC has presented the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) with a draft business plan for 2022-2027, proposing increases in residential and commercial electricity rates by as much as 134 per cent over a five-year period.
Padarath, who is the shadow minister of public utilities, said “(In estimates of recurrent expenditure) you will notice that in almost every ministry and state enterprise over the past seven years, millions of dollars are outstanding in payments to TTEC by the State. And, therefore, the biggest debt-owers to TTEC is the State.”
He pointed out that $2-billion is owed to NGC (National Gas Company) because T&TEC has millions owed to them by the State and the government has also damaged the relationship between NGC and TTEC.
The proposed rates are: Between 40 to 65.75 per cent in the price of electricity over the five-year period for residential customers; An increase of 128.5 per cent for commercial and industrial customers; an increase of 134 per cent for street lighting and recreation grounds; along with new fees.
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