Petition to the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) to normalize bills to Consumers immediately during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption globally in every country and in all spheres of life and Antigua and Barbuda is no exception. Our citizens and residents have responded positively to the various calls from the authorities to exercise personal responsibility in the conduct of their lives and interactions with others in the collective effort to contain the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus.

In March 2020, the declaration by the Governor General of the State of Emergency in Antigua and Barbuda followed by the imposition of a curfew by the government has forced our people to quickly adjust to a “new normal” – the success of which depends on the peoples’ cooperation to embrace new standards and protocols including the curtailment of some of our Constitutional rights and freedoms.

Thousands of persons have been impacted negatively and harshly by the sudden loss of employment or reduced workdays and the consequential financial hardships have been brutal. The plight of our people has worsened by the government’s inability to provide both social and economic relief to individuals and businesses who have been left without the proverbial paddle or canoe.

Amidst these uncertainties, and in conforming to social and physical distancing protocols, the APUA advised consumers that from April 2020, their bills will be estimated to protect both meter readers and customers. While we have broadly accepted this new measure by APUA, we expect them to be reasonable, rational, understanding, fair, judicious caring and honest in determining the “estimates” which form the basis of our bills which we are expected to pay without murmur.

However, the inexplicable and astronomical increases in bills which consumers have received for the months of April and May are without rhyme or reason and downright advantageous! How could APUA expect consumers – the majority of whom are unemployed or have exhausted their savings to pay these bills which are at least 3 times more than their average bills?

The DNA is demanding that APUA recall and quash ALL estimated bills for the months of April and May 2020 and reissue new bills using the formula which is the average consumption by the consumer representing the last three (3) months which is more representative of the actual usage.

We call upon all patriotic, upstanding and conscientious citizens and residents through their signatures, to add their voices to the clarion call for the recall of previously issued estimated bills by APUA.