The Editor, Sir:

The Jamaica Public Service is a private entity that provides a commodity from which it fully and quite reasonably expects to profit. Too to often, however, it seeks to improve its profits, not by increasing productivity or improving efficiency, but by continually raising prices when there are shortfalls.

I find it incomprehensible that a private entity would be given leave to charge the public for damage incurred during a force majeure, as opposed to paying for, and deriving the benefits from insurance.

There are many reasons for my conviction that the JPS should not be granted another rate increase anytime soon. Here I attempt to list a few.

Revenue loss

First, one of the major sources of revenue loss for the JPS has been (and continues to be) the 'theft' of electricity by various members of society. Sadly, the general belief is that illegal connections to electricity sources takes place only or primarily in 'the ghetto'. The recent discovery of (a very sophisticated) illegal connection by a major retailer should have put paid to that misconception. Illegal connections are to be found in many upscale developments, although not at the frequency as observed in some lower income communities.

I know that the JPS has done a fair amount of work in tracking the usage of electricity in various grid segments, comparing said usage with that indicated on consumers' meters, and attempting to crack down on illegal connections in that area if the total usage surpasses billed usage.

The question remains however, "What is being done to prevent theft in the first instance?" I have been informed that rubberised covers can be used on electrical wires to prevent 'stringing up' connections, but that JPS deems these "too costly.

Preventative measures

As a consumer I would be quite willing to share in the burden of implementing preventative measures if that means lowering my electricity costs in the future. Why not ask us to make incremental payments akin to their Hurricane Ivan 'fee' over a defined period of time to cover, say, half of the cost to install deterrents?

Another concern is that alternative energy sources continue to be viewed as the 'enemy'. Instead of getting in the game early, and using alternative energy to their advantage, the myopic JPS continues to ignore the possibilities of wind and solar farms.

Additional sources of revenue are also possible for the JPS, and it is disappointing to see them not take advantage of some opportunities at their disposal. Chief among these is the possibility of becoming Jamaica's largest internet service provider. Ethernet over powerlines is an untapped potential that gives the JPS (which has a larger coverage than any other entity in Jamaica) the ability to provide internet services to areas and communities that cannot be reached by our current providers, in addition to taking market share from existing customers.

I am, etc.,

ANDREW HEWITT

ahewitt@gmail.com