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The Antilliaans Dagblad reports that a new law is proposed for the distribution of electricity and drinking water on the BES islands. This law should replace the current law that came into force on 10.10.10. That law was based on the situation in Europe.
Currently a consultation procedure is ongoing on the islands by representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment to explain the contents of the law and to discuss the potential consequences of its implementation which is scheduled for January 1, 2016.
The intention of this law is ensure the affordable supply of electricity and drinking water for the consumers through subsidies from The Hague. This was necessary because in Holland it is impossible to provide such subsidies.
The structure of the law is based on an initial consultation round on the islands and was published on November 28, 2014. The Explanatory Memorandum summarizes the positions of the local governments and stakeholders.
Click here to download the Memorandum
The present consultation process is about the implementation of the law. Input can be given until March 10.
The draft text of the law can be downloaded here.
There are some specific points about the distribution of drinking water on Saba that deserve attention. For instance, in article 2.1., the law states that it will be illegal to transport drinking water without a permit, and, Article 3.2.4. reads:
If a drinking water network is not present in the public body, Our Minister will appoint, contrary to the first section, a company as distributor, and this company will be charged with distribution of drinking water by way of tank lorries, tankers or other means of transport, intended in Article 3.8, at a tariff which is established in accordance with Article 3.13 and 3.17.
The text suggests that only one company will receive a permit to truck drinking water.
Given that the community is invited to comment on the proposed law BEFORE it will become effective, it might be efficient to really do this instead of complaining afterwards.
That would be too bad for those guys that truck water now.
Let’s start guessing who will in the board of the company that will get the permit.
Can’t be too difficult.
Who wrote this article? Where does one comment on the implementation of the law?
The article originates from the Antilliaans Dagblad.
I guess that members of the Executive Council or the Island Council can inform you how to provide input. According to the Memorandum, they have been in contact with the experts that developed the proposed law.
The links to the relevant information on the Overheid.nl site were added by Editor of Saba News.
The present consultation can be found at
http://www.internetconsultatie.nl/regelsElektriciteitEnDrinkwaterBes. There’s an English version available too.
This does not cover the entire law, as this was consulted in September 2013.
This consultation focusses on drinking water quality and rules about consumer protection like disconnection policy.