Suit Alleges WAPA Lies to PSC, Took Retaliatory Action Against Whistleblowers, etc.
SUIT ALLEGES WAPA LIES TO PSC, TOOK RETALIATORY ACTION AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS, AND MADE BAD DECISIONS THAT LED TO INCREASED UTILITY BILLS
WAPA board’s first action during a meeting on Thursday was to move executive session to the top of the agenda. What followed was more than four hours of closed-door discussions on sensitive matters affecting the utility.
Among them was a lawsuit filed in April by two WAPA employees, which levies damning accusations on the semiautonomous entity, contending that WAPA has lied to the Public Services Commission (PSC); it has taken retaliatory action against whistleblowers; and has made bad decisions that caused costs to increase 20-40 percent annually.
The case, taken up by ubiquitous Virgin Islands Attorney Lee Rohn, speaks to the grievances of two WAPA employees, namely Dwight E. Nicholson (a former lieutenant governor candidate with Soraya Diase Coffelt during the 2018 General Election), and Julio Fung. The allegations against WAPA come at a time when the authority could least afford being painted as a company that harasses employees who don’t fall in line with the favored agenda.
WAPA spokesman Jean Greaux declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
“WAPA has not been truthful to the PSC, has made unsupported decisions that have increased the cost of fuel and electricity to the detriment of rate payers,” the suit alleges. The suit also comes as WAPA seeks approval from the PSC to yet again raise the base rate, this time by 6 cents which would send the final cost to 47.36 cents per kilowatt hour, an unheard-of rate that would send residents’ electric bills skyrocketing.
Read more: https://viconsortium.com/virgin-islands-2/suit-alleges-wapa-lies-to-psc-took-retaliatory-action-against-whistleblowers-and-made-bad-decisions-that-led-to-increased-utility-blls/
= new reply since forum marked as read
