While it is understandable that the tariffs had not been increased in a long while, it is also a fact that the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected communities in different ways. Some breadwinners have lost their jobs, some have had their income cut, while other families have altogether lost their breadwinners to the deadly virus. Many families are currently struggling to have a minimum of three meals a day, let alone a full course meal every day of the week or even keep the lights on for the duration of the month. As if that is not enough, boom! Here come the revised tariffs, some of which have an increase of way more than 100%.
“Council has not been increasing its tariffs for more than six years. The new ones could have long been implemented but it is an unfortunate situation now because of COVID-19. If you look at the old charges, you will find that we had been offering our services for free. Council budgets are very low and the central government has requested councils to make their own money. That means a lot of things will no longer be free like before. Residents want to see their internal roads paved and other things done, but all that people want to be done could be so if there is money,” SEDC deputy chairperson Douglas Kereng said when explaining that it was necessary for them to revise the tariffs.
