JPS's Obiglio vets questions at Denbigh

Damian Obiglio, chief executive officer of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), was facing the heat of patrons at the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show in May Pen, Clarendon, on Saturday.

"Yes, it puts a lot of pressure on me, but I think that being a public-service company, that is exactly what we have to do: serve our customers," he told The Gleaner from the JPS booth.

This was after emcee Dervan Malcolm repeatedly announced that the JPS CEO was available for members of the public to ask him 'How Come', in keeping with a tag line from one of the light and power company's advertisements.

It was an opportunity he relished, according to Obiglio.

"It is the only event in Jamaica that I see that is so popular. People inside of the country come to Denbigh. People that don't normally go to the big cities, people from the mountains, and so for us, it is a unique opportunity to be near these customers," he added.

But Obiglio had no good news for them in terms of a reduction in electricity rates any time soon.

"No changes," he reiterated. Such a change could come, he said, if there were to be a change in the fuel used, or if someone were to build a modern power plant.

"So unless someone builds something, we will continue buying at a high price because the price of oil is very high," he said.

- Christopher Serju