Electricity issues shutters Iris Penn Smith Clinic
The BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) has announced the temporary closure of the Iris Penn Smith Clinic in East End due to ongoing electricity issues.
The BVIHSA made the announcement in a public bulletin on Sunday, just days after General Manager of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) Neil Smith said several BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) clinics have been disconnected from its network for non-payment.
The BVIHSA said East End residents can access healthcare services at the Rosalind Penn Health Center in Long Look until the issue is resolved.
The Authority noted that all other community clinics are operating as normal.
The BVIEC’s General Manager, Smith, recently revealed that the BVIHSA is the “largest delinquent customer” of the BVIEC, owing millions of dollars. He explained that the BVIEC is a statutory body that relies on customer payments to meet its obligations, such as fuel costs and infrastructure maintenance.
“At some point, it’s getting more and more difficult for us to meet our obligations, pay for fuel change, transform, or just deliver the services that we’re supposed to be delivering without the financial resources in which to do that,” Smith stated. “And what we have done is we have very gently, I would say, sent a message that, ‘hey, you know, we cannot keep this up any longer’.”
Smith declined to give the figure owed by the BVIHSA but said it was substantial and in the millions. The BVIHSA was made aware of the challenge and issued a response, but Smith said this fell short of addressing the issue.
Smith emphasised that the BVIEC had been patient and understanding, but the mounting debt had reached a critical point, threatening the corporation’s ability to provide reliable electricity to the entire territory.
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Ayo sabotaging Marlon
Aren’t you from East-End?
what kind of civil war is going on in the british virgin islands?
I’ll donate one week worth of diesel so you can run the generator to keep the clinic open
On top of everything, we now have healthcare facilities unable to operate as a result of not paying their bills. Clearly they should pay, but should BVIEC really be disconnecting them and denying the public access to healthcare?
Why has the BVIEC let it get to this point without pursuing legal or other remedies over the past few years? Why has the BVIHSA not been paying its bills? Who do we hold to account for these failures?
So much incompetence and mismanagement on all fronts.
Let’s see if the Premier and Governor urgently step in to address this extremely serious matter. Don’t hold your breath…
“Why has the BVIEC let it get to this point without pursuing legal or other remedies over the past few years?” You don’t know that it hasn’t and in fact, it’s highly likely that there have been ongoing efforts to work something out.
The other questions you ask (“Why has the BVIHSA not been paying its bills? Who do we hold to account for these failures?”) are the seminal ones, but to imply that it’s necessarily the fault of the BVIEC in its capacity of being a creditor is wrong-headed.
Them busy paying accreditation
All this because they could have found money to do concert but not deal with the important things.
BVIHSA is not runned by the Govt.
This is threatening the corporation’s ability to buy new vehicles every 2 minutes lol. Still tho we got money for jam and music festivals meanwhile the clinics power getting shut off for non payment. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” Literally!
and the shareholders want their dividends!!!
To heck with you injured working men and women and your sick babies. We WANT OUR $$$$!!!
Why did the elected leaders of this country and The Manager Of BVIEC allow this small matter to develop into a crisis? and maybe continue into a potential nightmare.Maybe the musicfest funds needed to be ringfenced for these matters.
Working people have no choice to pay NHI while two sets of government entities squabble using the sick as pawns to the slaughter.
BVIHSA has approved budgets, which must include payment of utilities, so where has the money gone that was allocated to paying the electricity bill? Why have the clinics and management at BVIHSA ignored the payment demands so long that we are now at a crisis?
BVIEC has a budget too, which counts on people taking electricity paying for it. With insufficient money, they can’t improve services to the whole community and so we suffer cuts.
It’s about time this community stands up and accepts personal responsibility for the decisions required in a job. Otherwise, we are doomed.
Mr. Smith has correctly drawn a line in the sand – matters need fixing now.
No! It has to stop. That’s why the BVI CAN NOT grow economically because we keep allowing these things to happen. If a civilian electricity is disconnected why can’t the clinic be disconnected? If an individual has an ill person at home, he or she has to pay for electricity. We need to stop playing nice because we from here or we’re scared for a bad name from Peter or Paul down the road. I’m sure there were warnings before they disconnected electricity. Good job! The others will buckle up.
No! It has to stop!
This is the reason why the British Virgin Islands cannot achieve economic growth, as we persist in permitting the continuation of these activities. If an ordinary citizen has a sick person at home, they are required to cover the cost of their electricity. What distinguishes the clinic from this situation? I am sure that there were prior warnings, but as is customary, we will call prominent individuals such as Johnny or Sue to save us. This will encourage businesses that perceive themselves as invulnerable to fulfill their obligations.
The premier say “we not broke” but it sure as hell look like it.
I guess the nurses and doctors shouldn’t expect no decent salary no time soon because these man like they don’t even want to pay the light bill.
big dawg going to use the profit from the music fest to pay the light bill just hold on and watch him work baby.
Lololol… what profits?
THE MONEY COLLECTED CAN’T EVEN PAY THE LIGHT BILL FOR THE MUSIC FEST
Yo them put incapable, inefficient CEO in there ,them happy
Watch me wok downgrading the country .
What is going on in this country
Putting the health of the biggest population in the BVI at risk is no laughing matter
This is purely the height of political nonsense .
Look where we drop
A country boosting “ We are the envy of the Caribbean “ Bull who wants to envy this onslaught
People
Wake up ! Watch the premier wok us into diaster
Don’t do forgot water & sewage last month cut off a set water meter when you there looking for water bill couple years ago you can’t any all of a sudden they have bills and wanted you to pay half
“ohhhhhhh look where the BVI gone….”
“Electricity issues shutters” sounds like electricity Corp is issuing shutters (e.g. window shutters).
Perhaps “Electricty issue shuts (closes)”
Anyhow, confused curiosity made me click so it’s aight, oy guess.
I do not mind if the editor said $200 thousand but Millions?. Some persons work hard and save all their lives and can never amass a million dollars. That’s alot of money.
It seems like everyone has gone crazy again, behaving like the CCP. Remember the power grabs during the COVID lockdown? Now, it has reverted to census fines and cutting essential services.
It’s important to recognize that there are other delinquent agencies that should be reconsidered first. Shutting down an essential service like a clinic, regardless of the situation, is somewhat reckless. A more considerate approach should have been taken, if it wasn’t already.
Globally, we’ve seen a troubling trend towards dictatorship-style governance. This shift is poised to impact our way of life significantly. There will be a collapse, when you push people hard enough something gotta give. Love and compassion seems to be missing out of our daily bread.
Shutting down 1 clinic in order to have electricity for residences is a sensible start.
Neal is the man!!!
All ayo who know ayo owe BVIEC go pay the people dem $50.00 ok.
I ain’t backing up none ayo.
Yuh owe…pay.
This electricity bill did not just start yesterday or last month so blaming the current government just aint right! We have to blame all the governments who ran this country along with who all was general manager of the electricity department along with the hospital financial controllers contributed to this delinquency. Poor management by persons who have all sorts of degrees and not doing there jobs!