Vinnie Mohanani
Southern Energy and a V.I. government partnership? Yes, yes, yes!
I am all for it as a businessman, civic and community leader, and former candidate for the Legislature. I speak as a longtime resident who has had the opportunity to grow up here. It is high time we put the utilities in the hands of an enterprise that will look at the future needs of this community. In all the years I have lived here, it is obvious that the Water and Power Authority does not have the capability to meet the power and water needs of the Virgin Islands. Nor does it have the ability to meet the expected needs as the community grows.
Year after year, power outages, power surges and brown-outs have cost us money in damaged equipment or food spoilage. The residents and businesspeople continue to suffer. No one should expect WAPA to meet the future needs for power in these Islands if it has not been able to do so for the 29 years I have lived here.
I believe that opposition to change is taken by those who have no idea of the capabilities and resources that Southern Energy can contribute to a more efficient, reliable utility. The private sector cannot expand if the islands do not have the infrastructure to provide reliable water and power. Do you think Las Vegas or Atlantic City would have grown to be such attractions without adequate power or water? Let's face it, if WAPA were really a "cash cow," we would be able to fund many much-needed projects in our communities — and to meet our power and water needs.
While some may argue that WAPA only needs better management, the reality is that changes have not happened, and will not happen, in a time frame that makes a difference in our lifetime. Are those who oppose the deal truly against it because of there was no bidding process? Or do they just happen to be among the few who are gaining from having a tampered meter, or are they employees who are gaining from some dealings under the table?
What do we pass on to our children? Continued power outages? Or Southern Energy, which can and will provide a solution to our power outages and our future power and water needs so that we as a community can move on to tackle the next problem(s)?
It takes five minutes to contact a senator or a member of his or her staff to state your position on this matter. I urged residents from all four Islands to choose their form of communication — telephone, fax, e-mail or person-to-person — and make your voice heard saying that anything is better than the status quo. Do not take it for granted that the decision has already been made; let your voices be heard! If you support the Southern Energy/V.I. government partnership, let your elected officials know it.
In an election year, it comes down to numbers.Unfortunately, it is not what's best for the Virgin Islands but what will help our elected officials keep their jobs for the next two years that will determine how they vote on the WAPA issue. If legislators know or feel that a majority of voters supports the deal, that is the way they will vote. If they feel that a majority of voters is against the deal, that is the way they will vote.
Vinnie Mohanani
St. Thomas
