By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

SEVERAL residents and businesses on Rota have no power and water since the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. temporarily disconnected delinquent accounts on Monday.
Some residents said they were not given due consideration despite their pleadings while others claim that their services were disconnected although their payments were current.
Sen. Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, said CUC sent three men from Saipan to disconnect the utility services of residential and commercial customers with delinquent accounts.
CUC may have spent up to $3,000 for the three personnel, Manglona said in a phone interview.
He said the job could have been delegated to CUC’s onsite personnel on Rota.
According to Manglona, about 30 to 40 households and some businesses were affected by the disconnection of the utility services that began on Monday.
Active accounts that were erroneously cut off were reconnected to CUC’s system after several hours but only after they insisted that the three-man team from Saipan check with Rota’s billing system to verify the status of their accounts.
“That was an error on CUC’s part,” said Manglona.
The senator said CUC should improve its customer service by allowing those with arrears to settle their accounts through a payment schedule.
“I’m not saying that they should not pay their bill. What I’m saying is that CUC should work out a payment plan on their past dues so long as they pay their current dues,” he said.
“Our economy is so bad. People are just trying to make ends meet here,” Manglona added.
He said one of those who got her utility services disconnected is an elderly woman whose husband is sick.
Manglona said other affected families have children.
“Imagine those people with children who go to school without electricity. What we want is just a little consideration,” he said.
The cost of electricity in the Northern Marianas has doubled since July 2006.
Residential customers used to pay 11 cents per kilowatt hour and a 3.5-cent fuel surcharge per kwh for their electricity.
They are now charged twice that amount, depending on the price of imported fuel and an additional fixed customer charge of $5.60 a month.
CUC could not be immediately reached to comment.