Extracted from the Facebook Page of Rosemary Parkinson. This blog was forwarded to Miles Howe, a Canadian journalist at the Halifax Media Group doing some good work to keep EMERA ‘honest’.
New Managing Director, Mark King
Many of you might remember the tirade I did on BARBADOS *NOT REALLY ANYMORE* LIGHT & POWER a few months ago. And how far dat little diatribe went. From Facebook to Barbados Underground to Brass Tacks et al. Remember you sent your CEO to me? Remember I posted what I would still consider to be answers that only Dale Carnegie would have had the balls to write about in his now so very famous book “How to win friends and influence (really meaning fool) people”? Well…after all dat episode our billl went back down to high but hello I understand the cost of living an’ all de ress of it and it still did not make me happy but it was manageable. NOW THIS MONTH WE BACK UP TO WHERE I BELLOWED AND I GINE BELLOW EVEN LOUDER NOW ‘CAUSE NOW I KNOW YOU RIPPING OFF CERTAIN PEOPLE WITHOUT A DOUBT!!!!
This last month’s bill is so raas high I gine have myself a heart attack together with my landlady nexx door….we done both sick already with chess cold. And her mother done spend a week almost in horspital so she was saving electricals at home. But dis’ month’s bill 20th November to 21st. December gone from the usual $600/700 a month now back up to $1200!!!!
1. Now we done do all the tests with electrical so please doan go there again. 2. I ent even had a Christmas light on. My house been in darkness except my bedroom and office, and dat goes out at night when I sleeping. Next door had up a few but in the scheme of lights, it looked like we poor ass people cyant afford (which is true) to light we life at Christmas. 3. We both got gas stoves and I ent even cook a ham for the monff but as doan need electricity, you can blame de ham nor de turkey. 4. All we lights on energy saving and de only ting wukking on power is we fridge. 5. I even turn off de hair-conditioner now for weeks. Maybe one or two nights….but when we were getting the big bills that rose from 300 to 6/700 we had on air-conditoners day and night – so doan come wid dat one again! And dem energy savers too!! 6. The electric dryer nexx door brukk down (probably from your surges) and I does nuse mine once every two weeks as compared to befo’ every three days!!! 7. My microwave which I did use only on very few occasions also brukk down now for monffs (mussee’ also gorn because of the surges…and the lights off and on every now and den – you did it with me lass’ fridge and I ent send you de bill, I jess went out quietly and bought a new one as I had a likkle money in me pocket den!
All ya tell me to my face dat Amera gine help you out with all o’dis ’cause dem have money and clout and you will now be able to improve de plant and wee better rates and and and….when dis’ gine happen? 4012 when I done dead and gorn ’cause all ya kill me wid bills? Or is it dat Amera suddenly decide that what all ya was doing in order to reach the goal of 75 million profit, yes! dat is what you tell me, was such a good idea, dem implementing de same wukkings as befo’ so as to mekk a few dollah off ah we in de meantime? Or is it dat in de interess of all de people over Xmas living in small house and small income in certain areas who buy up de whole of the shelves in Buhabayduss in every supermarket, and light up dem whole house inside and out, all ya billing up people ’cause of wey de live? Doan go dere with me…’cause I might live in an area dat mos’ people would consider high up but watch me and watch me good…I in a small apartment and I is a creative person, and
WE ALL KNOW WHAT CREATIVE PEOPLE DOES EARN ‘BOUT HEY!! AND DAT IS WHEN DEM GET PAID FOR DE JOB DEM DO AT A SMALL PRICE FOR WANT OF MONEY TO LIVE!!! I REALLY WANT SOME ANSWERS. NO WONDER I RIGHT NOW MIGHT HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DOCTOR TODAY ‘CAUSE I FEEL ASTHMATIC!!! I VEX ‘TILL I VEX. AND IN THE INTEREST OF NOT BEING SENT TO JAIL FOR CALLING PEOPLE NAMES…LET ME SAY QUITE CATEGORICALLY TODAY THAT IT IS ALLEDGED THAT ALL YA DOING CROOKERY DOWN ON BAY STREET HEAR? AND DE PEOPLE CANNOT TEKK IT NO MO’! DIS IS 2012!!!
balance does make a good point it is not one that i want to hear or anybody wants to hear but the enegy charges and fuel charges and vat are astronomically high which adds to the ballooning high bill. take away all those high charges which is not going to happen regardless of how many protest and their would be a big difference
In Rosemary’s case we are talking about a spike in billing which is an anomaly. Nothing to do with regular billing.
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/resort-suits/
@David…something just hit me….how come Barbados allowed Amera to just walk in here the way they did…if they are in litigation or about to be or even being investigated….how could that not have sent warning lights to our people here? I mean I do not keep up with what is going on in every corner of the world…unless it is to do with food….but surely our government would have had initially to give permission for them to even approach Barbados Light & Power…and if not…then surely if L&P would be in breach of their company laws vis a vis shareholders by not looking into all matters re this? I mean surely the Bahamian group is nothing all that new…or is it? Did they start all of their actions after Amera bought up shares from Barbadians, or before? Sounds to me like any alleged criminal can come hey and set up store? And yet I know bona fides who are kept out and refused? Just asking if someone could enlighten…think I am feeling a little dotish this morning!
@Rosemary
Not sure, we would have to research the timelines.
Here is an update on your situation.
BU has sent a communication to Operations Justice Bahamas to solicit feedback we can use as a model for way forward here in Barbados.
Rosemary
You sound to be in control of your consumption.
If your bill is an estimate provided by BL&P, read your meter and pay the estimate you figure is right.
When BL&P gets around to reading your meter they will end up where you are.
My experience with BWA and estimated bills follows.
My bill has been at or slightly above minimum charge $32.00 for ages.
Bush grew around the meter and the meter reader could not find it to read it.
I got an estimate of someting like $1000 dollars for the month and for succeeding months it went as high as $3000!!!
The bill was read and stamped, due for disconnection!!
I read the meter and kept paying what my estimate was of what I owed until the meter was read.
I was told by BWA that it would not disconnect based on an estimate so I just kept paying what I knew I owed and relaxed.
My account was ultimately credited with almost $3000 to cancel the arrears they figured I owed.
Had I paid my bill according to the estimate BWA had, I would be receiving free water for the next 100 months, …. 8 years!!
That experience made me realise that the arrears the press says BWA is owed are probably grossly overstated.
Okay – finally got the link….and answered the gentleman. Have asked him to please just read all that was written before including interview with CEO at BL&P that you have posted above this posting…and read all of this…and then let us talk because my voice is non-existent this morning…Bless. I have a good feeling.
Sorry the above was for David….re your message to me.
Noted Rosemary. He is a good person to confab because he is involved in the FTC rate hearings etc.
@John….I think that right now I am going to concentrate on how Emera got involved with Barbados Light & Power in the first place. I cannot believe that we have allowed a company to come in here that already seemed to be having some investigations done in the country from whence they came…of course I heard they are Canadian, do not know for sure. BL&P can write what they want on their bill to us….but this did not say it was an interim bill and if it does not say that, then it should not be. There are some consumer rights that we as a people are not even taking on and it is time we do ’cause that will be the only thing that will move this rock forward…and that is what I am sure every person in Barbados would want (or should want I guess, ’cause I do not see how a small group digging out the eye of their own people could possibly love their country or people – what now? We following America??). I am even sure that our government who just might be too busy doing lots of great things for us would want its people to be vigilant and let them know when we are being fooled so they can act accordingly. Right?
Rosemary
The principle of Free Enterprise and various treaties to which Barbados has signed on to I figure make it possible for Emera or any other entity or private individual to seek to purchase the shares held by another entity or a private individual.
To prevent the purchase and keep ownership local would have required GOB or some other local entity or private individual to make a better offer for the shares …… which they were unwilling to do.
Given its record in business and high finance, I am glad the GOB is not a major shareholder in BL&P!!
My suspicion is that GOB’s involvement would have at best delayed the inevitable.
Think BNB, CLICO etc. etc. etc.
Light & Power, Water Works and CBC-TV but especially CBC-TV are all a mess among other entities!!!!!!
The difference is that Light & Power and to some degree Water Works seem to work …. and yes with enormous bills!
CBC-TV is hopeless
CBC-TV in the Dover area has been out since last night with data problems….who knows when it will be back!!! This happens routinely!
The Government is a mess….big talkers….because they know how to talk to bajans and we buy the nonsense.
The PM entertains well at his residence, it’s about the only thing he does!
Bajans have been dupped into believing that we live in the most beautiful place on earth!!!!
By-the-way, did anyone catch the editorial by the CNN anchor who visited Barbados last month? In just a minute of commentary on Barbados, she did quite a job!! The only thing that might have saved Barbados is that she is new to CNN, her ratings are low and as a result not many people might have caught the piece.
…..and don’t count on our consumer agency to do anything about the enormous bills hopeless….hopeless….hopeless!!!!
They key to this is in understanding Ms. Parkinson’s consumption of electricity.
According to the letter she received from Mr. Worme which was posted on BU, her average DAILY consumption over the previous year ranged from 44 kWh in the cooler months to 66.4 kWh in the warmer months. At the low end this is about 1,320 kWh per month which puts her among the highest residential users. I would have to check but I am guessing that anything above 600 or 700 kWh per month would be above average and Ms. Parkinson’s consumption was double that AT ITS LOWEST.
If we look at the December 2011 billing period, I am counting 32 days (not sure if this is correct). At Ms. Parkinson’s low of 44 kWh per day this would give her a bill of $1,088 if my calculations are correct.
This bill would include fuel of $646 and VAT of $162 (74% of the bill) neither of which benefit BL&P or Emera.
In all fairness, the letter from Mr. Worme goes on to state that after Ms. Parkinson initial energy saving efforts her average daily consumption over a 6 day period varied from 17 to 38 kWh.
At this new low of 17 kWh per day Ms. Parkinson’s bill for December 2011 would have been $418.89 but at the new high of 38 kWh it would have been $939.
So the main question is what consumption of energy is shown on Ms. Parkinson’s December bill and is it reasonable given her energy conservation efforts.
Quoting Rosemary Parkinson “I try not to use the free services that I am entitled to at QEH because there are people far more in need than myself.”
Dear Rosemary: I would encourage you to use the tax-funded services provided by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and by the Polycinics. Note that I did not say free services as they are not free. You have paid your taxes over many years and so you are ENTITLED to use the service provided through your taxes.
I myself us a mix of both private and public services. For example the early childhood care provided by the polyclinics is excellent, and the elder care is good. I’ve never overnighted in the QEH or the private places, but on accompanying elderly relatives to the QEH the service has generally been good, although physically the QEH has become quite scruffy, but the young doctors and nurses are mostly competent and compassionate, but my experience has been that that patients are too often agressive and rude and unfortunately from time to time staff respond in kind. But I have overheard an elderly nurse gently reprimanding a very young doctor. Encouraging her to be her best self, reminding her that patients who come to her are in pain, or scared, or tired or all three, and that they have come to her because they belive that she can help, and that it is her responsibility to be both competent gentle with them. The young doctor, a bright young woman, Barbados scholar took the gentle reprimand with good grace. So all is not lost.
@David this is what I have written to the gentleman you asked me to be in touch with after I got tired of going on and on about my bill:
And further I am almost prepared to even forget the dyamned bill and try to find out how a company like Emera that are under investigation were allowed to get in here. Take overs of this magnitude take a long time to work out, they do not happen overnight. Was their background checked thoroughly??
Next point. Has anyone looked into the possibility that perhaps, and I say perhaps, our bills suddenly went whacko when Emera began looking at BL&P? Did BL&P at the expense of the people want to show a good profitable company? Now what Mr. CEO told me sure sounded like that. I could not believe when he told me that yes! they had made some 25 million in profit in 2009, some 45 million in 2010 and were looking at 75 million for 2011. Was that being done to impress Emera?? And now that Emera got us…you think Emera ent gine continue screwing with the people of Barbados as they have done with The Bahamas and their own country. This is the important part of the equation that needs to be investigated. What went on here and what is going on here? Not my bill. But what is really going on!!!!
I think this is the course of action that will give the answers as to why some people’s bills are huge and some not…..playing around with people’s heads that’s what. Will my head has had enough!!
@Rosemary
There is a logical explanation and the BL&P should be able to explain it. Let us continue to pressure for answers at the local end first.
Please call it the right name
The Canadian Light & Power Company
Sorry about the typo…that should have been Well my head….
@Rosemary
One question, have you had the wiring checked? It is possible that you are paying the hydro for the entire house and not just your two rooms. You may even be paying for the main house, while they pay for your two rooms. It happened to a friend of mine who rented a basement apartment in a house that was heated with hydro. Unwittingly, she was paying for the whole house. Trust no-one where money is concerned.
@ To all
Only invest money that you can afford to lose. In other words, dont go into the stock market with your kids university funds or your retirment pot.
Rosemary it seems the paying public are helpless where these monopolies are concerned. If all fails I would move out from that apartment. It is very difficult to fight the monopolies alone. If ALL BAJANS decide to take them on then something will be done. Ways we can fight back
1. Have a day where we turn off all electricals…those who can’t have a generator or arrange to use solar for computers.
2. Try living without electricity for a week…..use batteries for lighting, bottle gas for cooking and ice coolers for chilling. Buy food every two days in order not to have spoilage. Organize TV pooling where communities can watch TV together. Yes we will all hurt a bit but we want to get the message over. Try going back to the olden days this might encourage community bonding and getting to know our neighbours.
3. Refuse to pay bills we are the consumers without us they have no business. (I know it sounds stupid BUT it is true.)
4. Protest en mass in front of the company.
5. Seriously look at alternative energy or throw out de appliances or dem really got we over a barrel.
6. May the Gods help us!
That Parkinson woman sounds like a fraud,….just wants publicity…All she has to do is to learn to read her meter,like I did when my bill skyrocketed in Sept.Then and only then would she know what her daily consumption is,and therefore work to suit.I,however,believe that the BL &P on an on going basis is deliberately delivering low voltage on a rotating system across the Island…sort of my district today …your district tomorrow.People should note that …….Current used = Power/voltage….the lower the voltage,the higher the current.
@mike
It is not the first time we have heard this comment about low voltage.
Have heard a few people complaining about outlets in the house ‘tripping’.
Here is a link to an interview done with Troy Garvey from Operation Justice Bahamas. As I mentioned, over the next couple of weeks I’ll be doing a piece on Emera in the Caribbean. I’ll post that here when it’s finished.
http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/audio/emera-under-investigation-grand-bahama/9102
Mike what is fraudulent about Ms Parkinson? She is voicing her opinion and has a right to do so. People like you make me want to vomit! Why don’t you drop that stupid fcuking arrogant attitude?
@Mike…strong words me friend…strong words. But they came to me like water on a duck’s back because you obviously just want to insult and guess my name just sounded right to get your rocks off on. So I forgive you. Yes! I could read my meter every day. But even better I could actually just turn off all electricity and live with candles again after all I have worked hard enough in my life for just a few little comforts, and I guess electricity in your eyes is not what I deserve.
@Island gal…thanks for the support. And yes! I am voicing my opinion and have every right to. Quite a few people in Barbados had high bills again all of a sudden and nobody complained to BU. I did. And what did it do? cause the opening of a can of worms that could benefit the people of Barbados.
So Mike if you can indeed read as well as you insult for no reason…see above and look at the position of Emera and The Bahamas. This situation is not just about me…it is about everyone in Barbados. And this is what the fight should be about because therein lies many answers as to why Barbadians – rich, middle class and poor – are being held to ransom through overly ridiculous charges by one company providing what should be our human right in a developed country – the right to live with electricity. The profits alone on a yearly basis should tell you something kind Sir. Not that the high percentage of VAT on electricity is also not an affront to us the people.
You Sir Mike have made my night…what a shame that you hide behind a pseudonym…as you can see I do not. Now who is the fraud?
@ Rosemary Parkinson…
You say you rent your apt. Does the bill come in your name and has it always been in your name?
Has the account # ever changed?
When was the last time, if ever, have the wiring been inspected in the building.
I believe your story as I have had my run-ins with L&P also, which is why I am asking these questions.
There is no way that an energy sensible lady living in an apartment can have the kind of energy usage being discussed here unless she has some ridiculously large load TURNED on continuously (such as a large AC unit) or there is a major problem with her electrical system.
The most common problem which can account for Rosemary’s situation is that her electrical heater in the SOLAR water heater is permanently ON. If your hot water is ALWAYS scorching hot…. You may have an electric heater and not a solar heater.
Bushie is surprised that BL&P did not do a full analysis of your apartment to determine the actual details of your consumption….
From Bushie’s reading of the situation Rosemary should be averaging no more than 200-300 units per month.
But BL&P did investigate:
“Your account with the greater electricity consumption supplies two air-conditioners, which are in regular use; two clothes dryers, which are used periodically; a refrigerator; other appliances and lighting. The average daily usage on this account between reading periods over the last year has varied from a low of 37.3 kWh per day in cooler months and as high as 58.8 kWh per day in warmer months.”
Ms Parkinson was then able to get here daily usage down to 17 kWh for a brief period.
Brutus
What would you consider a full analysis?
Which appliances account for exactly how much usage?
What part of her overall usage is unaccounted for?
What will she need to do in order to reduce consumption to a specific level?
How does her billing compare with similar customers?
@Technician – yes the 2 apartments (that used to be a house – there is a connecting door) have been inspected by a licensed electrician who found no problems. This was done when I first flared up about a bill of $1,800 details of which are above in the link placed by David to that story. The bill does not come in my name. My landlady is a friend and a highly respected businesswoman who shows me the bill as it comes in. She also gets a bill for her side – the 200v. electrical appliances are connected – we have already stated those.
@Bush Tea – thank you that is fact. And I do not have large air-conditioners turned on day and night.
@Brutus. yes BL&P did investigate…but we had been using all of the above since I moved into this apartment and our bills did go from 300 to 600 over a period of time (not including the extra bill that comes for the other side) but we figured fuel charges blah blah. But when it went from that to $1,800 (and that would have been $1950 with next door) and I had the big scene as per above link…and after all the meetings/e-mails between myself and CEO of BL&P (who actually came on mornings by the way and monitored the meters himself for a good few days on his way to work???), our bill went back to the 600/700 and has remained constant since then. And the above was true re the usage. Except for the ‘other appliances’ part – I think that on my side a once a week approx. usage of a toaster/once every two of a coffee machine and perhaps once every three weeks microwave, no iron (I never iron), one computer, one television (only used in the evenings mostly) is stretching that part. By the way none of these come on next door’s bill, remember all her electrical appliances come under her bill which by the way – read this carefully) is always between 150/200 BDS$ and they use those more than me! I hardly cook or even do much in the kitchen!
Since then Microwave on my side gone through the eddoes and one dryer next door and linked to my bill is no longer in the equation -both probably messed up by the constant surges and off and on of electrical supply from you know who – but we have no real proof and again have not bothered.
And further, we have implemented more savings – no air-conditioners even. So we suffer, and BL&P continues to send these high bills. Remember I said: I was away for one month in October/part of November and left one security light on, all electricals unplugged except for energy saving fridge. And bill remained the same $700. Remember I said next door my landlady’s mother was in hospital for five days so that should have reduced consumption on that side…and we have in both houses had such bad flu that we were not even able to do much over Xmas, me? Not even a Xmas light and next door one string. Hello?
How many times do I have to explain that our bill is plainly excessive. First we have everything running day and night and our bill is decent, we go heavily in energy saving and our bill gets enormous, we make a scene and it goes back down, we implement even further energy saving and it goes up again. What are we to do next? As I said. Go live in the open air?? Give me a break!!! Reading meters doan come into this at all, at all. Common sense can tell anyone dat someting wrong hey!!!
And as I said before….yes! I am still angry about BL&P and their unlawful (in my estimation) way of billing….but now…I am riled up and vexed when I hear about Emera. And I am blue vexed when I keep thinking about CEOs words re the reasons for wanting to make 75 million in profit in 2011. And if there is one thing I can tell all of you…is that as a culinary writer/author I can smell cockroach from afar…and I smelling it strong now. Done. Please mo more questions. The story is told in detail twice and maybe three times.
Let us the people of Barbados start a petition NOW with signatures that can be presented to not only the Barbados government but if all goes well with talks with Bahamas, we can have 10,000 signatures ready for them. All we want is transparency re EMERA and BL&P, The gas prices transparency please too, no more gouging for huge profits (and we should not care who their shareholders are) and definitely no more interim bills – you making so much money employ some more people for reading meters every month!! Done.
And @Brutus – one more thing….on investigation our bills ARE excessive compared to some who use far more electricity than us as I have already pointed out…and there are some who use less and still getting excessive bills….and some whose bills are kind of considered normal when one considers the so-called hike in gas and the vat and and and. Oh! and no! we ONLY use solar heating for water. This shows me that rather than reading a meter and giving the correct amount on the bill, somebody doing craziness ’bout hey and it does not take a rocket scientist!
Bush Tea | January 9, 2012 at 7:17 AM |
From Bushie’s reading of the situation Rosemary should be averaging no more than 200-300 units per month.
+++++++++++++++++
I have no airconditioning and no clothes dryer.
No Solar heater, but a shower head with a heater which I don’t use unless the morning is cold.
I use a second shower so I do get my daily bath!!
I have a small fridge.
It consumes 4-5 kwH per day … about 120-150 kwh per month.
The rest of my load is lights, computers, TV (which I have not watched in over a year) and a fan.
Cooking is with gas.
Sum total consumption per month is in the low 200′s.
More than half my consumption is the fridge.
If I had a clothes dryer rated at 5kw and I used it for an hour on three days of the week it would add 3×5=15 khh to my bill per week which translates to something like 60-75 kwh per month. I would be getting up to the 300 kwh mark.
Airconditioning is the killer.
Guesstimate rating at 2kw.
Run it for 12 hours a day and if it runs constantly then 24kwh per day or 720 kwh per month.
In reality if it is working properly it will be switching on and off. Assume a duty cycle of 50% and the consumption is 360kwh!!!
If there are two, double this number if both used for the same time.
Forgetting to turn off the ac could be disastrous to the monthly bill.
http://wakeup-world.com/2012/01/10/solar-energy-lights-up-bangladesh/
Bush Tea – I suspect that Mr. Worme (who by the way is NOT the CEO) explained the issues to Ms. Parkinson fully, and she could also get her electrician to answer the questions you posed. There are devices that can be used to monitor energy usage.
I pointed out above that it is likely that close to 75% of Ms. Parkinson’s bill relates to fuel charge and VAT yet she is always quick to blame BL&P and accuse them of fraud.
It is one thing to constantly complain about the dollar amount of the bill, but you also need to disclose the kWh used. Maybe it is an interim bill and maybe BL&P over-estimated her usage for the month – she can check the meter herself or get someone to do it for her.
@Brutus….I am guessing that you work with or are part of BL&P, if not fine. Sorry for thinking it. Mr. Worme whether CEO or not was the one who came to me before the Emera complete take-over. I was made to understand he was CEO o at least in some high capacity at BL&P. CEO, RCS XYZ it does not matter. At whatever capacity he came here. Everything was explained. Nothing matches up in my estimation. I am done with the chat. Because my consumption is NOT AS HIGH AS OUR BILLS, NOR IS NEXT DOOR’S. THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE. If a 24-hour bar open with coolers/ TV/ video/lights/music literally five minutes from here has a bill every month lower than mine, then I know that something is wrong here. If a gentleman from Trinidad who does not have to pay his bills but leaves on all lights, television, airconditioner etc in his apartment and his bills are cheaper than mine, then something wrong here. If a young gentleman living on his own in a small chatter house with one overhead light, no fridge no electrical appliances and his bill gone up by triple, I say someting wrong here. If a five bedroom house with office and electrical appliances coming out of the kaboom can have a lower consumption than me and next door put together, then someting wrong here too. I could go on and on.
IF BL&P HAVE EMERA AT THEIR SIDE NOW AND EMERA IS THIS WONDERFUL FINANCIALLY STRONG COMPANY THEN SEND OUT PEOPLE EVERY MONTH AND READ MY BILL LIKE YOU SHOULD. INTERIM BILLS CONFUSE AND THAT IS IT. IF EMERA IS SO WONDERFUL WHY IS THE BAHAMAS TAKING THEM TO THE LAW IN NOVA SCOTIA. IF EMERA IS SO GREAT WHY ARE THE PEOPLE OF NOVA SCOTIA ALSO INCENSED.
Whatever anybody wants to put in front of me…I do not consume this amount of electricity, neither does next door. I really am done. Now I really do not care. Everyone want to continue paying high bills and let BL&P make enormous amounts of profit at the end of the year for their shareholders and for EMERA, PLEASE CONTINUE. When the next experiment shows me that our bill has not moved from this type of up and down into desperation, plan B will come into being and that is that. Consider me out of this. I am going to be like the rest of Barbados and say, so what? I have been accused of being a fraud, and that’s okay. Now you say I quick to accuse BL&P of fraud – to my knowledge I never said those words…I keep saying someting wrong but if I accused them of fraud and doan know I did ’cause I was and still am so vexed, I will publicly here say sorry.
Unlawful practice is what I said in terms of interim bills, ’cause I believe it is…far too high in my estimation profits for a service that is every human being’s right to have I also have said. But then who cares? This is a free developed country so why not? Why should BL& P and any other company take all my money away from my pocket every now and then ’cause they say they cyant send someone here to read my bill every month…that is what we pay BL & P for. They do not pay me to monitor me own bill.
Wunnah wait and see…Leave me out. I am stressed to the maximum and the fight is over….I gine do like everyone else, lift my arms in the air and say Lawd the 9-day wonder of fuss continues to reach nowhere here in Buhbayduss…from now I going in peace like everyone else…let it be Lawd, I done pay the bill.
@Rose
Dont be frustrated. Sometimes one man can bring about change by agitating.
david rather than dismiss and sidestep Ac you have a resposibilty to the post to tell commentators if the high cost of light bills is as a result of pricegouging by the BL@P or the charges imposed by the caring Government through the BNOC. MRs parkinsn’s problem though important is personal and does not impact nationally.
@balance
Feel free to elucidate.
Why can’t your meter be read and then a bill sent based on that actual reading.
That is how it is done here in Toronto.
Why can’t the same be done in Barbados?
Rosemary
I am thinking it is possible that one or both of the airconditioning (AC) units may not be under the control of the temperature sensor(s).
The result is a 100% duty cycle, one or both never cut out.
If that happened and you did not catch it, (it is easy to miss) your bill would rise even although you exercised complete control and were using them only when you needed.
AC dominates your power consuption.
That is where you need to be in control and automatically know if it is not working right.
You can have the identical equipment as another house and use it the same way, but power consumption can be completely different if the equipment is not working right.
To see to what extent AC dominates, on your day off when you don’t need it and it is off measure your consumption.
Compare it with days when it does run.
You will find a huge difference.
@ John
Yuh hear she ain’t using de AC!!
Look Rosemary, do a simple thing for de Bushman’s peace o’ mind…
1 Turn off everything you got in de Apartment by pulling out de plug or turning off de switch.
2 go an look at de meter. NOTHING SHOULD BE MOVING AT ALL…..de disc should be completely still.
3 It the disc is not spinning – GOOD!!
4 if the disc still spinning, – tell your electrician YOU HAVE A FAULT or you are paying for someone else’s usage of electricity….
Repeat this a few different times over a few days since the neighbor’s load for which you may be paying may be turned off when you do the first test…
5. Finally turn on appliances one at a time and look to see which one causes the meter to spin very quickly when turned on.
SUSPECT THAT APPLIANCE.
BT
Rosemary has been there and done that too …. from day 1.
If the consumption can vary between 17 and 38kwh per day it is unlikely to be wiring, or meter. I would guess the 17 is when the AC was off and the 38 is when it was on.
Meters don’t go bad … rather I should say I have never heard of an electric meter going bad.
The one at me is probably 40 years old unless it was changed sometime when I was out of the island … or my memory is going bad … which is far more likely!!
Ms. Rosemary, I feel sorry for you with your light bill. But it only goes to show how bajans so lay back and letting any & anybody come in the country & do what the hell they feel like. How many things are owned by Barbados, you got the TRINIS, GUYANESE, & all other types of nationalities buy up the damn place and bajans hardly own their own birth right selling themselves to the devils. Money cannot buy happiness but it killing the bajans to go and buy name brand clothes & lastest of everything them eye see, instead of coming together for the country do nt matter who party in power, we are all one. Time will tell this year, hope & pray that the people of barbados would open their eyes and see that BARBADOS DO NOT BELONGS TO THE BAJAN PEOPLE ANYMORE. FOREIGNERS ARE TAKING OVER BARBADOS.
SUZYQ | January 12, 2012 at 4:08 PM |
BARBADOS DO NOT BELONGS TO THE BAJAN PEOPLE ANYMORE. FOREIGNERS ARE TAKING OVER BARBADOS.
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Our late Prime Minister ,TRH. Errol Barrow, predicted this sometime in the late’60′s early ’70′s, when he said that we will wake up one morning,and find that we no longer own Barbados.The morning has long gone.
Perhaps we like it so. I knew a shop in Harmony Hall, which used to see very frequent changes of shopkeepers who rented the place, due to a lack of support from people in the neighbourhood. Eventually an Asian took over shops and quickly afterwards had to install wrought iron burglar bars, against the likelihood of being robbed as he was making so much money from the same people who previously refused to support their own.
Look at Roebuck St.,a place where local businessmen thrived up until the mid to late ’70′s. Now its all in the hands of non-Bajans , who seem to be doing extremely well. They no longer have to live upstairs, like those old pioneers like CC King and others, but have mansions in the exclusive heights and terraces,and commute in top of the line SUV’s.
We are followers and not leaders, buyers and not sellers, talkers and not doers, educated and not common sensed . That why others will continue to take fair ,or unfair, advantage of us,usually with the assistance of our own.
Colonel Buggy, you aint lying. what you see in barbados is enough to wake up the dead bajans. once a country of pride is now a open season every year for foreigners to come & rub shite in the bajan people face cause them know that bajans eyes big & they love the name brand material things.
BL&P watch on power switch
By by Geralyn Edwards Business Editor | Thu, September 20, 2012 – 12:08 AM ,Nation News.
BARBADOS’ lone electricity company says customers switching to photovoltaic power could pose a threat to its bottom line.
However, a top official of Barbados Light & Power (BLP) yesterday said the company was still giving its full support to the push towards renewable energy as the country tries to reduce its near $700 million annual energy bill and respond to unpredictable oil prices.
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