Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has called on the Government to immediately reinstate the electricity subsidy and keep it in place until the end of 2026, as residents grapple with steep increases in their August bills.
Penn said less than a month after the subsidy was removed, some households are facing electricity costs that have effectively doubled, placing further pressure on already strained family budgets.
“The bills are here. The increases are real. And for many families, they are simply unaffordable,” Penn said.
He rejected the Government’s position that only a small percentage of consumers would be affected, arguing that the bills now reaching homes tell a different story.
“The Government cannot balance its books on the backs of struggling families,” Penn declared, noting that residents did not cause the global energy crisis, fuel price increases or instability in international energy markets.
He said families are already battling rising costs for groceries, rent, fuel, water and other necessities, while their incomes are not increasing at the same pace.
Penn also dismissed the prospect of residents paying the higher August bills and receiving a credit later, insisting that relief must be applied immediately.
“You cannot give people a credit for a bill they cannot afford to pay in the first place,” he said. “Put the subsidy directly where people need it, on the electricity bill.”
The Opposition Leader also called for the Government to reconsider removing the subsidy from businesses, warning that higher operating costs would eventually be passed on to consumers through increased prices for food, services and restaurant meals.
While the Government has maintained that its electricity rate changes are intended to affect only the largest consumers, Penn argued that the financial impact will spread across the wider economy.
“The Government must immediately make the necessary budgetary adjustments to shoulder this burden alongside the people,” he said.
Penn said there is an urgent need for a long-term energy strategy.
Penn said less than a month after the subsidy was removed, some households are facing electricity costs that have effectively doubled, placing further pressure on already strained family budgets.
“The bills are here. The increases are real. And for many families, they are simply unaffordable,” Penn said.
He rejected the Government’s position that only a small percentage of consumers would be affected, arguing that the bills now reaching homes tell a different story.
“The Government cannot balance its books on the backs of struggling families,” Penn declared, noting that residents did not cause the global energy crisis, fuel price increases or instability in international energy markets.
He said families are already battling rising costs for groceries, rent, fuel, water and other necessities, while their incomes are not increasing at the same pace.
Penn also dismissed the prospect of residents paying the higher August bills and receiving a credit later, insisting that relief must be applied immediately.
“You cannot give people a credit for a bill they cannot afford to pay in the first place,” he said. “Put the subsidy directly where people need it, on the electricity bill.”
The Opposition Leader also called for the Government to reconsider removing the subsidy from businesses, warning that higher operating costs would eventually be passed on to consumers through increased prices for food, services and restaurant meals.
While the Government has maintained that its electricity rate changes are intended to affect only the largest consumers, Penn argued that the financial impact will spread across the wider economy.
“The Government must immediately make the necessary budgetary adjustments to shoulder this burden alongside the people,” he said.
Penn said there is an urgent need for a long-term energy strategy.
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