Ed Propst, president of Titan Media Group Inc., and Rep. Tina M. Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, said they are calling on all concerned individuals, regardless of political affiliations, to oppose CUC’s electricity rates, unjustified power service disconnection and wrong billings by submitting a “dispute letter” to the utilities agency.
Propst said the forum may be held at American Memorial Park at 6 p.m. or on Capital Hill or even at the CUC main office in Dandan depending on the number of people attending it.
“Let’s put our differences aside. We’re inviting the public…anybody who has issues with their power, water, sewer utilities,” he said. “We’re calling the people to come as one to challenge… address the problem with CUC.”
Propst said the power outages due to recurrent engine breakdowns at the power plants and fuel supply shortage have caused many businesses on island to close down “at a rapid rate.”
“People are leaving the island due to the high cost of power,” he said, adding that the CNMI government should look closer at Guam’s power utility system which “took reasonable steps for stable power.”
He said the main objective of tomorrow’s public forum will be to formulate a list of demands to CUC.
A copy of the people’s list of demands, he added, will be submitted to the Legislature, CUC, the governor’s office, and the media on Friday.
If every CUC customer would submit a “dispute letter,” their views may be considered by CUC, he said.
Sablan said the forum will also tackle such issues as the change of power rate in the middle of CUC’s billing cycle.
She and Propst share the idea of creating a “power watch” in every community on island similar to a “crime watch” group.
A legislative oversight on CUC records should be conducted soon, the two added.
Propst said they will not file a class action lawsuit against CUC given the lengthy procedure and time it will take before any resolution could be reached.
Propst said his business has been a victim of CUC’s “gross negligence” in the past when the agency disconnected the power service to his establishment for no apparent reason, making him pay a reconnection fee in the process.
He said big businesses are given leeway to settle their huge arrears with CUC, while small businesses and households are told to pay up their power bills without being given any grace period.
When asked if he has any message to CUC’s Executive Director Antonio S. Muna, Propst stated: “Power to the people.”
For more information, contact Ed Propst at 483-7361 or [email protected], or Rep. Tina Sablan at 483-3935, 285-3935, or [email protected]
