Here\u2019s a piece of good news for residential customers of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. <\/p>\n
To provide temporary financial relief during these difficult times, CUC will be deferring one month\u2019s bill for a period of six months.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not be disconnecting this month,\u201d CUC executive director Gary P. Camacho said in an interview yesterday.<\/p>\n
This does not mean that charges will be waived; it only means that one month\u2019s billing payment will be deferred for up to six months. Those who can afford to continue paying their bills have the option either to pay now or defer payment. <\/p>\n
Camacho said they will be putting out an advisory explaining the details of this program.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the people that have already paid this month, they may not pay next month. So it will be applicable for this month and next month. For now, it\u2019s one month per customer or per account,\u201d Camacho said.<\/p>\n
This developed as the CUC board of directors approved on a 4-1 vote the management\u2019s request to allow it to tap $2.3 million in a restricted account\u2014that was originally intended to buy a power engine\u2014to provide temporary financial relief to CUC residential customers. <\/p>\n
CUC will use the $2.3 million to maintain operations during the deferral period of six months.<\/p>\n
In introducing the motion, board vice chair Weston Deleon Guerrero noted that CUC\u2019s monthly collections normally funds CUC operations. However, due to the circumstances caused by COVID-19 situation in the CNMI, the management\u2019s action is reasonable and necessary for CUC to maintain operations and provide assistance to its residential customers during this period, Deleon Guerrero said.<\/p>\n
Board chair Miranda V. Manglona, Matthew Holley, and Jovita Paulino agreed with Deleon Guerrero and voted \u201cyes.\u201d Only Commonwealth Development Authority board chair Ignacio Perez voted against it, saying, among other things, that he needs to see a second opinion from the Office of the Public Auditor and other documents to state that this is the right way to \u201cunrestrict\u201d the $2.3 million.<\/p>\n
The board also unanimously approved Deleon Guerrero\u2019s motion to approve a temporary waiver for penalties, late fees, and disconnection period within the deferral periods.<\/p>\n
Deleon Guerrero asked the CUC management to make available financial documents showing what the impact the deferral program will have on the residential side, and what funds are needed for the commercial businesses to allow them a 15-day deferment during this COVID-19 situation. <\/p>\n
Camacho said they would provide such documentation.<\/p>\n
Camacho said he can already tell from his understanding that it\u2019s about $2 million additional for the commercial accounts at 15 days.<\/p>\n
The board meeting yesterday lasted over four hours, during which Paulino questioned Perez\u2019s \u201cno\u201d vote. \u201cI mean, you already heard from the legal counsel [Jose Mafnas Jr.] and the legal counsel works not only for CUC, but he\u2019s with the Office of the Attorney General,\u201d Paulino said, adding that they also heard from CUC\u2019s chief financial officer, who is qualified and has the experience and knowledge, as well as from the CUC management.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2026second opinion is he asking for?\u201d Paulino asked, adding that not too many people have the luxury of paying their bills on time during this difficult period. <\/p>\n
Paulino said she does not want to prolong this deferral issue because this will benefit those who are on austerity and for some who are even not working. \u201cWhat about the wellbeing of our people?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
For his part, Holley said that if Perez is only concerned about the documents, he\u2019s ready to vote on the matter.<\/p>\n
In an interview, Camacho said he met with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres last week and that the governor asked if CUC can find some means to assist people, particularly the residential customers of the CNMI, during this challenging time. \u201cAnd I couldn\u2019t agree with him more. These are very difficult times,\u201d Camacho said.<\/p>\n
He said CUC does not have the ability to waive the charges so the most that they can do is to defer the payment. He said he is glad that the board supported the management\u2019s request.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be informing the community that we will not be disconnecting and any payment they can use, any dollar amounts that they have now, they can use [for other expenses]. And then we\u2019ll be able to provide up to six months for people to pay this month\u2019s billing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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