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JPS hold strain on $200m owed by schools as Gov't budgets $65m more to pay

Arthur Hall, Senior News Editor

Faced with the prospect that scores of schools could have their electricity supply disconnected because of unpaid bills, the Government has allocated just under $65 million to educational institutions to pay their light bills.

But this is only a quarter of the more than $200 million which educational institutions reportedly owe the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS).

Last week, in keeping with its policy of not disclosing information on customer accounts, the JPS refused to say just how much the schools owe.

However, head of corporate communication at the JPS, Winsome Callum, confirmed that the outstanding amount was more than $200 million.

"The Government accounts for the majority of the debt owed to JPS, but in the national interest, we have been working with the respective ministries and agencies to facilitate payment plans, wherever possible," Callum told The Sunday Gleaner.

"We do give special consideration to educational institutions, in light of the critical role they play and the far-reaching disruption that would be caused by the disconnection of their electricity supply," added Callum.

The first Supplementary Estimates for the 2013-2014 fiscal year, tabled in Parliament last week, shows educational institutions at all levels being given more money to pay light bills.

Just over $3.2 million was allocated to infant schools, $19 million to primary schools, $13 million to all-age schools and $2.3 million to junior high schools. No additional money was allocated to secondary schools to pay for electricity.

Government-funded colleges and universities also received additional allocations to pay the JPS. Among them are Moneague Teachers' College, which was allocated $1.6 million; Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, which received $2.5 million; and the G.C. Foster College, which was allocated $1.3 million.

Institutions for students with special needs, including Hope Valley Experimental ($400,000), schools for the visually impaired ($1.1 million), and schools for the hearing impaired ($480,000) were also allocated additional money to pay the JPS.

The National Library Service, the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning, and Nutrition Products Limited, which also fall under the education ministry, were also allocated more money to pay electricity bills.