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Creation of PUC
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Posted on Nov 20 2008
[I]To Kyle Calabrese, Vice Chair
Public Utilities Commission[/I]
Public Utilities Commission[/I]
We have a couple of issues with the setting of power rates. First, why does PUC need an off-island consultant, influencing decisions of what is in the best interest for the consumers of the CNMI? Are you saying the current PUC board is incompetent or have no idea what its members are doing?
Secondly, why does PUC need an executive director? Who is paying for all these extra expenses, Mr. Calabrese? The price for a barrel of fuel continues to decline and we believe a rate between .17 and .20 cents per kilowatt at the most can be achieved and stabilized. The real issue with the exorbitant utility rates is recovery, but again recovery from what? Past incompetence, mismanagement, extortion, politics and self-interest at CUC? The PUC board needs to concentrate on preventing, if not eliminating, all those losses incurred by CUC and stop passing the burden of these mistakes to the already oppressed and depressed consumers.
Third, all of you were nominated and appointed for a reason, and that reason is simple: to fix CUC’s rate structure fairly, equally, justly and truthfully. The assumption by our Legislature that all of you have a general understanding and thorough knowledge of how CUC operates is why a board now exists.
It’s is unfortunate that since the inception of this board, the concentration has been on adding expenditures and costs, at a time when our government is broke, including the hiring of an outside consultant. It is now highly questionable whether this board can actually handle the job.
Mr. Calabrese, if this is how this board functions on a daily basis, then we believe all of you should resign effective immediately before a detrimental and unjust decision is made affecting consumers.
[B]Gregorio Cruz Jr. [/B] [I]Taotao Tano CNMI Inc.[/I]
