Kelly Tomblin didn’t hesitate when she admitted that the greatest challenge she faced in her five years at Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) was electricity theft.In fact, the power company’s president and CEO, who is leaving next month, managed a chuckle as she spoke about the problem that has plagued her company for decades.
“You know, it is really hard to deal with the amount of electricity theft in Jamaica, it’s really hard,” she told the Jamaica Observer with a heavy sigh.
“We estimate about 180,000 homes, that’s about a million people”, who are benefiting from electricity theft, Tomblin said in an interview at her office last Wednesday.
Frustrated by the level and persistence of the theft, JPS, in January this year, said it was ready to name, shame, and prosecute offenders — a 180-degree turn in its policy of declining to take legal action against electricity thieves who, Tomblin had disclosed last year, were costing the company US$2 million per month.
“We now strongly believe that if we do not prosecute, name and shame, we cannot win. We will therefore be working more closely with the police to make arrests and prosecution a major part of our anti-theft strategy going forward,” JPS’s Director of Revenue Security Major George Kates wrote in the company’s Energy Matters column published in the Observer in January.
But even amidst the hard approach Tomblin has empathy for Jamaicans, who she believes are unable to pay for the utility.
“My heart’s torn because you have people who absolutely cannot pay,” she lamented last Wednesday. Her pain, she said, got worse when the company took a decision to cut electricity to communities where theft was more than 80 per cent.
“That’s the one that leaves me with the most pain… that one moment of turning the power off,” she admitted.
“We can’t keep giving power to these communities and make other people pay. That was a defining moment for us, because I think we said we just cannot take this any more,” Tomblin told the Sunday Observer.
“We did cut off people, and we had a cease-and-desist order from the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) and public outrage, but for us it’s just like it comes to a point where you have to say the situation is not being addressed,” Tomblin explained.
Although electricity theft is now a crime punishable by a heavy fine and/or five years in prison, JPS has been working with communities to halt the practice.
That effort, Tomblin said, started under an agreement with the previous Government for a community renewal programme which involves the installation of prepaid meters.
The programme was implemented in 10 communities and appears to be working well.
“One of the things I’m proud of is, I was just in Majesty Gardens — where we have community representatives who are helping people get power,” Tomblin said.
“I’m excited because these last few months we’ve seen losses go down. We’re happy we’re seeing a downward trend, the first time in a long time. This is the best performance we’re seeing in four years,” she added.
The improvement, while not yet in double figures, is significant as, according to Winsome Callum, director, corporate communications, the company actually saw a stabilisation of the losses before the movement south.
“It was a big thing just to keep it from going up,” said Callum, who sat in on the interview.
She attributed the development to a combination of strategies. “We continue to pull down [illegal connections], but we also continue to do a lot more with technology,” Callum explained.
In 2015, JPS took down 205,300 throw-ups — basically crude, illegal connections found mostly in depressed communities — and arrested 783 people for electricity theft that resulted in a loss of US$18.8 million to the company.
The power company continues to argue that it cannot solve the problem alone; the responsibility needs to be shared by political representatives who have influence over large numbers of people, as well as law-abiding Jamaicans.
“Can you imagine what a culture change it would be if people really got legitimate electricity throughout Jamaica?” Tomblin asked.
And dem se one blanca stealing three million Jamaicans allegedly …Ijs
Well, the theft start from even the electricians, many who will wire homes so the theft can happen. Is not just the amateurs who a throw up wires, some of the electricians for a nominal fee will wire your home that way. I will say even of the 180000 homes involved in the theft more than half of them can pay the bill with ease, they just don’t want to pay it. If you check dem bank book unno would be shocked. Ppl who can afford to gone solar cause de tiad of paying other ppl light, worse if you live in a known rich neighbourhood your bill not going to be normal at all. Solar mi seh!
I can find an article stating this BS that is about 10years old and it is based on nothing but bs.
With 2.7 million people living in Jamaica that would mean over a third are stealing electricity and that includes that places where there is no electricity.
But Bloggers I did the maths..Jamaica has 3million persons.Now if 1million ppl a teef light n in return JPS overcharge the other 2million ppl…HOW COULD THEY POSSIBLY BE TALKING FART BOUT LOSS??WHAT LOSS??
JPS HAS A GURANTEED RATE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT (SURE PROFIT)BUILT INTO THEIR CONTRACT (THANKS OMAR..RUN WID IT EEH)..CHECK THEIR ANNUAL FINANCIALS. .THEY ARE N HAVE BEEN MAKING BILLIONS IN PROFITS!!!I’m not saying poor ppl must not pay their way. .they should. .I’m all for a $2000 monthly flat rate because the average ghetto person spends $4444 a week pon cash pot alone, so split dat n cover these two”priorities”!
JPS are overcharging and ripping off the people dem, that’s why so many are not paying, if they cut their price then more people will pay… JPS is a teef just like those who get free light… unfair game played twice by both parties…
Dem a overcharge cause dem a meck up back di money from off di loss of di stolen light. In essence, who a pay dem bill a pay fi dem bill plus maybe two other households bills as well. What dem need fi do is investigate if running di electricity underground help mitigate the theft. Some new communities on the island a run di electricity underground. Nuff countries run light above ground, but many others run it underground too, may be the direction dem will have to move into for the future.
Clearly, you are one of the thieves. This is a chicken and egg situation. The rates are high because of the high level of electricity theft. Get that under control and the rates will get lower. That is one of the reasons very few companies would want to setup business in Jamaica.
You have the crooked Unions, rampant employee theft and a consumer who doesn’t want to pay for services rendered.
The sad part is, these Jamaicans go abroad with the same mentality. A lot of them want something for nothing. You are just one of them.
But anon they are not breaking even, as yardie said…they are making billions in profit so it stands to say that they could charge less. Maybe if they tried that approach then they might see a difference. Also don’t forget another big reason why companies may not want to set up business in Jamaica…di tiefing scamming government. Nuh badda lef dem out
Anon 7:03 just shows how stupid and unintelligent you are… If a set of people are stealing light, means I must help pay their bill… No, JPS must take that loss, that proves my point that they are robbing those who can just about afford it… They must have reasonable rates and not try justify their extortionate prices by overcharging others which is a crime… But people like you are gullible eeediots and will always do as your told no matter if your being fleeced… Yes poor ghetto people stand up for your rights one way or the other…
If u raise the price on people who dont steal just to make back what was “lost” isnt that going to drive those people to actually steal it because dem cya badda pay so much money. JPS a play mind games and most Jamaicans cant keep up.
In the USA, the price you pay for most items have the cost of theft included in the price. Your credit card interest rate is determine by the large number of people who default on their payment or charge back, when people use other customer’s credit card. So, yes, the good always have to pay for the bad.