THE BREAKING POINT: Why WAPA Must Be Placed Into Receivership Immediately
“We cannot correct a 50-year-old problem by continuing to do the same things we have always done.”
By CLARENCE PAYNE / SPECIAL TO THE ST. CROIX SUN NEWS
ST. THOMAS — I have never written an editorial before, and ironically, while putting these thoughts to paper, yet another major power outage occurred. Days like this have become the norm in our community, and that can never be accepted.
Like many Virgin Islanders, I have lost count of the number of days and weeks we have been subjected to the hardships associated with prolonged power outages. Just two weeks ago, power was out for approximately 48 to 72 hours. As a result, many Virgin Islanders were forced to discard hundreds of dollars’ worth of frozen and refrigerated food. To date, residents have not been compensated for these losses, which has created a significant economic burden for families across the St. Thomas-St. John District.
The Contrast of Comfort and Crisis
On Thursday, June 11, the Virgin Islands Progressive Movement organized a protest directly in front of Government House. It had come to our attention that members of the administration were attending a luncheon with government executives. We believed it was vital that they hear the voices of the people while they dined comfortably inside.
During the protest, demonstrators chanted, “Who’s watching WAPA while the people suffer?” and “The tourists get a welcome; the residents get a blackout.”
While we demonstrated, it was brought to our attention that a member of Congress from Washington, D.C., was also attending the luncheon. Consider the stark contrast: while officials and dignitaries were dining and conversing comfortably, power was completely out on the Northside of St. Thomas. At approximately the same time, an active robbery was taking place in the Main Street shopping district, only a short distance away.
I am not suggesting that power outages directly cause crime. Rather, I am pointing out that our community continues to face serious, persistent challenges, and there appears to be little to no urgency from leadership in addressing them. Power outages of this magnitude are far more than a mere inconvenience. They are a symbol of distress. At this point, they represent an SOS from the people of the Virgin Islands.
A Demanded Shift in Strategy
We have reached a breaking point. We cannot continue with business as usual. The administration was reportedly advised by its own transition team back in 2018 not to continue throwing money at the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA). Yet, that is exactly what has happened. After years of continuous financial support, rate increases, and empty promises of improvement, residents are entirely justified in asking: What course of action remains besides spending more money?
The Virgin Islands Progressive Movement will actively advocate for placing WAPA into receivership. While new generators may be a minor part of the solution, they completely fail to address what many residents now know is the core problem: management and structural accountability.
Over the years, WAPA has been led by engineers, administrators, and financial experts alike. Yet, the results have remained largely the same. If different leaders, different strategies, and repeated multi-million dollar financial investments have failed to produce reliable service, then perhaps the issue is not simply equipment or funding.
We cannot correct a 50-year-old problem by continuing to do the exact same things we have always done. The people of the Virgin Islands deserve reliable electricity, responsible management, and a utility that serves the public interest. Until meaningful reform occurs, the calls for accountability will only grow louder!
