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CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, August 29, 2022 (Nevis Reformation Party)  — Leader of the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) Dr. Janice Daniel-Hodge is assuring the people of Nevis that they will no longer have to pay the surcharge on their electricity bills when she takes office.

“My people, an election is right around the corner and you have my word on THIS DAY, that on my first day of office, I will exercise the powers vested in me to remove the surcharge paid by our people for six consecutive months; and during this period, we will take the necessary measures to remedy the surcharge problem once and for all,” Dr. Daniel-Hodge said.

High electricity bills attributed to the cost of fuel surcharge have been a great financial burden on the people of Nevis for the past couple of months. Citizens and residents have been pleading with the government to provide relief by absorbing the cost of the surcharge but to no surprise, the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has ignored the cries of the people.

Dr. Daniel-Hodge added: “As I walk through the streets and alleys of St. James and drive through the communities of Nevis, it pains my heart deeply to hear the cries of so many of you regarding the outrageous surcharge on your electricity bills. This cannot be right and it cannot be okay for our Premier, who is also responsible for Nevlec, to sit by and watch our people suffer month after month.

I want to remind the Premier, his Deputy Premier and all the others who serve in the NIA cabinet, that while you can afford to close your eyes and pay a hefty surcharge, the majority of our people cannot. It is unconscionable that you would allow this burning issue to fester for so long. Have you no heart, Mr. Premier? Have you no empathy for our people?”

The NIA has failed to address the extremely high cost of electricity on Nevis coupled with the many incomplete capital projects such as the over-budgeted Alexandra Hospital Expansion, the Nevis Athletic Stadium and the Oualie Water Taxi Pier.

“Today our people are pleading their hearts out for IMMEDIATE RELIEF and I am hopeful that after reading this statement the Premier, and the rest of the NIA cabinet, will understand that our people are struggling immensely and are begging for the removal of the surcharge, effective IMMEDIATELY!”

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