Belizeans Angered over BWS Cut-Offs

Belize Water Services Limited is facing public criticism tonight, with residents claiming their water supply is being disconnected over small outstanding balances. Some customers say they have been cut off for owing just a few cents, while others report balances ranging from five to fifteen dollars. Adding to the frustration is a twenty-five-dollar reconnection fee, which in many cases exceeds the amount owed. The issue has now reached the floor of the National Assembly, where last week UDP Senator Sheena Pitts raised concerns over the growing number of complaints and the burden being placed on consumers.

 

Sheena Pitts, UDP Senator

“What BWSL has done recently and Belizeans can identify with this, you have water bill unpaid, five dollars, ten dollars, fifteen dollars, the disconnect and charge a twenty-five dollars reconnection fee. You know why I am aware of this Senator Dennisson, my firm pays water bill and it pays for a certain amount and it never changes and that is not a lot of money, because we nuh the run hotel at the firm. When the bill came, and for some inadvertent reason it was not paid, and the water was disconnected and that is when I learnt, and mind you, the habit of the firm is to pay in advance, so the amounts are drawn down overtime. And I am telling you, as Belizeans experience, for ten dollars and fifty-one cents the service was disconnected and twenty-five dollars had to be repaid. For the life of me, as the standard, they tell you that you have to put a deposit in addition to the reconnection fee in order to get back service.”

 

We reached out to BWSL for comments, but up to news time our request went unanswered.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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