but oppression against a depressed community and a complete cover-up.
The consumers are now being pressured toward a full privatization of our power plant. Privatization is favored by some as being the only solution and it is said that it will save the government more money — more money for what?
Privatization has its pro’s and con’s especially with those involved in the bidding process.
Currently the power plant rehabilitation and repair cost reached well over $10 million as of March — $6.5 million came from the Department of the Interior through a matching fund scenario.
The PIO for the administration back in March stated publicly that “Cost to repair power plants had reached nearly $10 million and the main contractor was awarded $5,006,470.90 according to the signed contract agreements.”
The administration pointed out that the contract for DCM and EEI was for $5.1 million.
Now, the question is it’s MAY 2008 — how much is the current repair cost? Did it exceed projection? Is this why the consumers are being oppressed and demanded to pay double the rate?
The PIO went on to say that local funds will be used to pay for the contracts, and being that the government is broke where is this administration getting the payments?
The consumers need to understand the issues behind this rehabilitation and repair contracts of our power plants, the money needed for fuel payments, and the sudden questionable extreme exorbitant high utility rates slammed on the consumers, including the taking of 50 percent of our security deposits whether we like it or not.
Thanks to our elected leaders up on the hill for giving this administration the unlimited power to do all that. Now, the lawmakers say they are confused and are questioning the extreme exorbitant rates.
The other day a lawmaker asked me, “Mr. Cruz can we get a copy of what you have.”
I politely responded, “Sure, not a problem, but it will cost you 75 cents a page @ 150 pages.”
This has always been the problem with our leaders — ACT FIRST, THINK LATER.
We ask all the consumers to toss all this in a mixing bowl like a fruit salad but we can’t guarantee you that the end product will be good or bad. In this case, it’s really bad. The consumers are being jacked blindly, and the only thing they’re being told is “the price of oil by the barrel has risen tremendously” and it can’t be controlled and it’s happening all over the world.
Well TAOTAO TANO continues to say NO WAY! Although it’s is a reality that the fuel crisis is a global issue, internal issues are not.
We continue to say that the answer lies within the contracts, and a serious investigation is warranted as to why the governor of our homeland is abusing his executive powers by declaring “calamities” left and right as an excuse to oppress the consumers.
TAOTAO TANO reiterates that this tactical maneuvering of abuse of authority is nothing other than tapping into other government agencies’ funding to pay for existing ongoing contracts. But now that there is no money in the general fund, who else will they tap into?
You guessed it.
To my fellow consumers, we leave you with these questions: Are we going to allow this administration to continue its abusive nature or are we going to fight back and demand answers? Check your security deposits, ask questions, demand answers — it is your right as a consumer.
By the way, DCM and EEI are not the only contractors or vendors involved. There is also Mitsubishi Corp. awarded $2.28 million, CBM Tech.Pty.Ltd ($375,700), SAI Traders ($431,300), Sought Pacific Eng. ($25,440), IMSE BUBA ($3,534), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. ($21,910) and finally SELF-INTEREST Corp. $$???.???.?? as of March 2008.
We hope that we have given consumers a bit of information as to what TAOTAO TANO is looking into. For the PIO to say that we are “looking in the wrong places” we hope that the feds are reading this including the public auditor, for in the end you might just end up with pay dirt and out of a job yourself.
Oh lastly, why was there no RFP or bid done on these deals? Explain “CALAMITY.”
GREGORIO CRUZ
Taotao Tano
