ISSN: 1391 - 0531
Sunday March 9, 2008
Vol. 42 - No 41
Financial Times  

ST Poll on power crisis

A majority of respondents in an email poll conducted by The Sunday Times FT on the planned hike in electricity rates say subsidized power should be discontinued except for some sections of the poor and the deprived.

Some 60 percent who responded from the 250 emails sent out said the CEB shouldn’t continue to provide subsidized electricity to the consumer while 37 percent disagreed with this view.

Another 62 percent agreed that the CEB should sell power at market rates while 33 percent were not in favour of this suggestion.

The poll follows sharp increases in power rates by the CEB for all sections of the public which has been deferred although it was to be enforced on March 1.

Respondents included heads of companies, corporate executives, students, housewives, academics and also donor and multinateral agencies.

Asked whether power costs are high because of global events or is it due to mismanagement at the CEB, 67 percent of the respondents agreed that it was both. The question of whether consumers will reduce consumption if the rates increase, drew a mixed response: 49 percent said they will, 28 percent said NO while 22 percent were undecided.

 

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