Authority at the Liberian Electricity Corporation LEC has changed gear on the pay system of electricity supply to customers.
At a news conference at that Corporation’s Waterside Central Offices yesterday, LEC Managing Director Harry T. Yuan said the increase of oil or petroleum products on the international market has forced the management of LEC to increase its tariff on supply to customers.
“Because of the increase in the price of fuel oil”, the LEC boss noted “electricity supply tariff will now be shipped from 34 cents per kilowatt hours to 43 cent per kilo watt hour”.
The LEC boss said his corporation has been struggling to maintain the tariff since October of 2006 but that they continue to experience loses due to the high cost of the oil on the international and continue to effect the LEC operations in Liberia.
He said the increase in tariff was necessary to the corporation since it would help the LEC maintain constant supply of the electricity to the general public.
Besides Mr. Yuan indicated that high cost of oil on the international market has impacted the operations of LEC in delivering service to it customers and could only graduate from the increase price of oil when a long term solution for LEC to break the influence of oil prices on the costs was the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydro Electric plant.
To have the hydro plant rehabilitated, he pointed out that feasibility study was underway out by an American Electricity Consultation Firm (USTDA) and would be submitted to the LEC management June of this year.
Managing Director Yuan also disclosed the LEC was experiencing serious damage and loses as a result of the continue cutting of its wires and street lights by criminals.
He stated that the emergency power program #1 was successful but added criminals were undermining the process of electricity supply to Monrovia and its surroundings.
“The attitude of criminals to carry out power theft and cut down wires and destroying street lights especially on Broad and Johnson streets was hampering the work and efforts of LEC and could discourage donors from providing an assistance to Liberian’s electricity program,” he said.
He noted that the constant cutting and removal of the Johnson Street lighting feeder would cost the LEC management between US$550,00 to US$1,000 each time to replace the lighting.
On Broad Street where light feeders are installed underground, Mr. Yuan said these feeders and lights in the beauty garden were frequently cut and taken away by criminals who he said believed to be doing business with scraps buyers and dealers.
To combat the problem of constant power theft and the removing of wires and polls from the street at night, the LEC boss stated that his management has involved UNMIL and the Liberian National Police to enforce security operations.
The LEC Managing Director then called on the public to help LEC secure in fighting evil minded people by calling the LEC hot (NO. 05-635429) to report criminals who are always taking away LEC property as well a destroying the street lights.
Gov’t Challenges ‘Cocaine Ship’ Bail - Seeks US$500M Bail Bond
By George J. Boteh
A motion to set aside the Criminal Appearance Bond filed by Counsel of the defendants who were arrested by the Liberian government for the crime of unauthorized possession and trafficking of narcotic drugs has provided a space in court and has been argued upon by both prosecution and defense lawyers.
The argument which took place at the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice witnessed both lawyers hammering home their points before the new Magistrate who replaced Milton D. Taylor who was dismissed by President Sirleaf.
Taking the stand to argue his case, State lawyers led by Atty. Tamba Gbori told the court that the bond filed by the counsels for the defendants is insufficient and that it (bond) should doubled the amount.
Defense lawyers headed by Cllr. Charles Abdullah recently filed a criminal appearing bond valued at L$200,000 to seek the release of their clients.
The State lawyers also argued that the court sets aside the bond and have all the defendants re-arrested or those who have connection be arrested until said defendants can be brought to court.
Some times ago, the Liberian government arrested over six Ghanaians on board a ship loaded with cocaine. They were confined later released on L$200,000 Criminal Appearance Bond.
The defendants are believed to be residing in their country upon the filing of the L$200,000 bond at the Monrovia City Court by their lawyers. But prosecution argued that the defendants have committed a crime and the value of the narcotic drugs is higher than the amount paid as bond.
They argued that the amount be doubled to fit the crime committed. This argument the defendant lawyers headed by Cllr. Charles Abdullah says the constitution frowned on as an accessing bail.
He called on the court to deny the Prosecution’s exception and argued that said exception is to deny the court’s precious time.
Cllr. Abdullah argued further that the call for his clients to double the L$200,000 as requested by prosecution is a travesty of justice and prayed the court to throw said motion through the window.The court reserved ruling into the motion filed by the state pending notice of assignments. |
