Urgent ‘intervention’ needed over rising energy cost in VI– Bishop Cline
The Bishop Speaking during the Friday, June 17, 2022, edition of ‘The Big Story’ with host Cathy O. Richards said the situation is now a concern for the two groups, especially businesses, since although the cost of operation has increased, revenues have not.
“It’s a big concern, so not only is the weather hot, but your bill is seeing a tremendous increase because of this what they call surcharge… to I guess buff it against the current market price of oil,” he said.
Bishop Cline added, “and I haven’t heard anything necessarily from the Government or from the BVIEC as to what they believe they can do to help business owners and residents to help to stem this rising cost of electricity.”
Leadership matters - Bishop Cline
He noted in this case, that leadership matters despite current VI leaders having their hands full with other pressing issues.
Mr Cline, however, said the silence of residents and businesses alike have resulted in nothing being done to remedy the situation.
Meanwhile, global Oil prices already on the increase as a result of increased economic activity post-COVID-19 pandemic were pushed even higher when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pulled some three million barrels of Russian oil a day from global supplies.
“Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has driven up gas prices and food prices all over the world,” US President Biden said in a recent address.
Time for intervention - Bishop Cline
Bishop Cline called on local authorities to do something to bring some relief, to small economies like the VI, “There must be something that must be done, and the Minister of Energy or whoever has to be able to look at this and say it is time for us to intervene.”
He said that intervention must also benefit both residents and businesses in the VI alike to bring relief to the rising energy costs through initiatives like a subsidy.
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22 Responses to “Urgent ‘intervention’ needed over rising energy cost in VI– Bishop Cline”
In other words, greedyness is the norm in the BVI for many years past, even until now..
Bishop John Cline, you can help, why not show leadership by example.
We shouldn't blame huh prices only on the current war on going in Ukraine, but also on greedyness of our local business owners, the so-called unity government leaders included. ( fact)
You will have nothing and be happy.
The VI options are limited. To my knowledge, the VI does not have a gas tax (as the US does), so it cannot implement a gas tax holiday. Perhaps, it can a)temporarily reduce any duty on gasoline, diesel and LP gas with the hope of the reduced future is pass on to the consumers, b) BVIEC temporarily reduce its cost per KWH, c)consumers practice conservation, d) engaged in carpooling, e)park and ride, f)look at effective transportation scheduling ( ferries, etc), etc. My next suggestion is controversial and socialist leaning. Here we go. Government needs to take a look at a temporary, modified, means-tested Universal Basic Income(UBI) programme. What is UBI? Typically, UBI is a legally stipulated and equally set government allocation of a periodic (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) payment to residents