Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
A ST. MARY dentist is among three high-profile businesspersons who have been apprehended by the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) over the past 10 days, in connection with theft of electricity amounting to over $9 million.
"We are after all illegal users of electricity and they range from across the social and economical groupings," said Tony Rae, JPS director of external affairs. "Some of them are people who I thought would not have engaged in these acts."
According to the JPS, a summons has been issued for the arrest of a St. Thomas businessman who operates a large farm in Yallahs. The Gleaner understands that, last Thursday, members of the JPS's Revenue Protection team visited the farm and removed an illegal electrical connection.
UNPAID AMOUNTS
Mr. Rae said the unpaid electricity bills at the farm are more than $1.5 million. The dentist's illegal connection amounted to $160,000.
The third businessman, who operates a juice company, was nabbed after the JPS investigated and discovered that he had an illegal connection and an unpaid bill of $7.9 million.
Mr. Rae did not say whether the dentist or operator of the juice company had been served summonses by the police.
A spokesperson at JPS told The Gleaner that last year, the company lost more than $2.6 billion due to electricity theft.
Earlier this month, the JPS offered amnesty to persons with illegal connections to come forward and update their accounts.
Mr. Rae said the JPS has established a Revenue Protection team which conducts its own intelligence operations. As a result of their investigations, he said a significant number of persons have been arrested.
