Mr Prime Minister, VINLEC Is Your Government’s Company
When I opened my September electricity bill, I thought I had misunderstood it.
My energy charge was $200. The fuel surcharge was $318.68. That is almost $119 more than the electricity charge itself.
Read that again. I had to.
The fuel surcharge alone accounted for approximately 60% of my current charges. How can something labelled a “surcharge” cost so much more than the electricity itself? Already vexed, I found my September 2025 bill. Although I had used the same amount of electricity, VINLEC’s fuel-surcharge rate had increased by approximately 55%, pushing my current charges up by approximately 27%.
I had not consumed more electricity. The surcharge had simply swallowed more of my already strained household budget. In May, Prime Minister Godwin Friday said electricity bills could not be allowed to become “unbearable”. He promised relief and protection against runaway increases. By August, however, Vincentians were being told that “we all have to bear the pain”, while the Prime Minister urged VINLEC to show flexibility to struggling customers.
But who exactly was he pleading with?
Let us stop pretending that VINLEC is separate from the Government. The State owns it and appoints its entire board. VINLEC is the Government’s company. When the Prime Minister publicly urges VINLEC to act, he is appealing to his own Government’s company. That is not leadership. It is theater, and poor theater at that.
Do not take us for fools, Dr Friday. Your Government cannot control VINLEC while pretending to be a helpless spectator to its decisions. Yes, the war involving Iran has disrupted energy markets and increased the cost of oil, shipping, and insurance. But it does not fully explain what is happening to our bills. It certainly does not excuse the lack of transparency or relieve the Government of responsibility.
VINLEC says it does not profit from the surcharge. Dr Vaughn Lewis can explain VINLEC’s formula, but political accountability does not rest with him. He did not promise Vincentians protection from runaway increases. Dr Friday did.
Responsibility rests with the Government that owns VINLEC and appoints its board. The Government cannot hide behind the CEO whenever the bill becomes difficult to defend.
VINLEC is your Government’s company, Dr Friday. This is your Government’s problem. Stop speaking about VINLEC as though it belongs to somebody else.
The electricity bills have become unbearable.
Unbearable.
I said unbearable.
The Government must act. And since conscience does not move this Government, public pressure must.
From today, I am taking “VINLEC” out of my mouth and calling the responsible party by its proper name: The Government.
I am fed all the way up – and I know I am not alone.
