The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is moving to investigate reports that several large supermarkets may have been tampering with their electricity supply to evade full payment for power.
Minister of Public Utilities Melford Nicholas told Cabinet that his ministry received credible information indicating that some commercial entities have allegedly installed illegal bypass systems to draw electricity directly from the national grid.
Nicholas described the alleged practice as a serious fraud against the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) and, by extension, the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne warned that offenders will face legal consequences.
“If they get caught twice, police will have to be called in,” Browne said.
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Tiefing electricity is an aged old thing. Businesses and residential customers alike have all used less than honourable ways to avoid paying correctly for electricity charges. APUA must look to move to smart meters as many countries have done. They are designed to be tamper proof, incorporating features like encryption and internal sensors to detect and report any attempts to tamper with them. APUA’s old electromechanical meters are vulnerable and would always be tampered with by electricians working on behalf of Businesses and residential customers.
mmmmm lemme just drink my water and mind my business because private homes doing the same thingggggg.
They to thief, everything is bobul, lawd
Even when they get concessions from the government, they still steal electricity. So they want to come to our country, open their big supermarket, and pay nothing? The government is too lenient with these outside investors. Yes, we want the investment, but not when we lose too much to these thieves. The PM needs to investigate these hotels, too. It is not friends and company with these people, it is about the country first. Mr PM, you and your ministers were hired to take care of the country’s affairs for the people. If you can’t do the job, please return it to us, and we will find someone who can do it!!
Why wait until it happens twice to call police ? Shouldn’t they be held accountable on the first instance?
Bet if it was a case of an ordinary citizen who was caught doing it the first time they would be held accountable.
Why not prosecute for the first offense?