An electricity theft-inspired revolution

Cedric Brown, Guest Columnist

In 1790, Abigail Adams, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, said, "These are the hard times in which a genius would wish to live. Great necessities call forth great leaders." The necessity of finding a progressive and viable solution to electricity pilferage in Jamaica is urgently calling for revolutionary leadership that can turn a dung hill into a mountain of gold. I have a feeling that Abigail Adams would see eye to eye with me on this point.

A change in the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company corporate policy from one of inaction to that of zero tolerance towards the theft of electricity in certain communities across Jamaica has forcefully placed electricity pilferage on the nation's public-policy agenda.

The map detailing electricity theft in Jamaica highlights the inner-city communities of Kingston, and to a lesser degree St Andrew and St Catherine, as points of high incidence. Of course, the malady exists elsewhere, but the inner-city communities are the high points of concentration.

National discourse

The current national discourse on the phenomenon of electricity theft should not be confined to the woefulness of the act, but should rather be treated as a basis on which to develop a new approach to community governance as well as inner-city renewal and restoration.

I believe that a more affordable energy policy should be considered for implementation in our inner cities. The model to be adopted should be centred around the use of solar energy and should be proportionately akin to the Grand Palladium's solar photovoltaic power plant just implemented at its 1,000-room hotel in Hanover. This approach will result in more affordable electricity being dispensed to these communities.

A restructuring of the communities would be necessary before attempting to implement a project of such magnitude.

SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION

The search for a solution for electricity theft cannot be centred around vulnerable, quick-fix measures. The nation must deal with the problem from a more medium- and long-term point of view.

The inner-city communities are established on large swathes of land predominantly occupied by shacks, shanties and dilapidated dwelling houses and commercial ventures. These large expanses are, for the most part, occupied by bungalow-like dwellings.

These lands should be organised more strategically to take advantage of the unquantifiable and unlimited utility of the airspace. Several high-rise blocks of apartments over defined areas could free up a significant amount of ground space that could be used economically, to facilitate the rebranding of these communities. The freed-up ground space could be handed over to the land bank of the National Housing Trust in exchange for the funds needed to finance the proposed high-rises.

After having established those accommodations, the Government must lead the way in assisting inner-city communities to embrace solar power, and in so doing, move away from JPS's petroleum-based electric power.

Solar power is cheaper than petroleum-based electricity, and as such, is more affordable. We have an abundance of sunlight. Once the initial start-up cost of solar energy is overcome, the recurrent cost of usage is far more affordable when compared with petroleum-based electricity.

The current inner-city electricity pilferage problem must bring to the fore our big-mindedness and visionary outlook. We must find a solution that is workable, progressive and lawful. If Jamaica takes seriously its date with year 2030, we cannot be directing people to return to kerosene and candles as their main source of light and energy. This is a backward solution.

We cannot contemplate changing the laws to facilitate the attachment of electric wires to the shacks of the squatter settlements. In so doing, JPS would only be displaying an interest in its bottom line while ignoring the welfare and betterment of the society.

As a progressive nation, we must crave to settle in a position away from the margin and beyond the base.

Cedric Brown is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and cbrownlawpractice@gmail.com.