THE SITUATION: Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) customers will be required to contribute to a dedicated fund, through their light bills, to enable the light and power company to convert its Bogue plant from diesel usage to accommodate the use of gas-based fuel.

The fund, which has been approved by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) in its rate determination for the JPS, will see consumers contributing a total of US$15 million over a 12-month period.

The OUR has also signaled JPS to cut rates by a minimal amount they claim this should result in a lower light bill for everyone.

OUR ISSUES: We do not agree that as customers we should be paying additional fees not for services we have requested but for equipment & plant upgrades that are necessary for modern efficient fuel delivery.

We firmly believe these expenses can be deducted for the overwhelming profits JPS collects each year. This practice of us paying for every hurricane damage and regular business upgrades in addition to the service and fuel charges is ridiculous and very unfair. As customers and citizens we were not consulted regarding this decision and therefore why should we pay???

OUR DEMANDS: We demand that this additional fee be withdrawn and that JPS seeks investments, a bank loan or uses its already accumulated profits to invest in its own development.

We remain grateful for the rate cuts and ask that OUR continues in that vein, do not sell us out.

We ask nicely that JPS returns monies we have already paid for Hurricane Dean damage and that going forward JPS uses its insurance money to cover hurricane damage.