TEATT Orders GEBE to Submit Tariff Proposal Within 30 Days

GREAT BAY--St. Maarten, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten on Wednesday said she formally instructed GEBE on January 20, 2026 to demonstrate compliance with its Electricity Concession and to submit a complete proposed tariff structure within 30 days, activating formal compliance mechanisms that, she said, have not been used in many years.

The Minister provided the update during the live Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, where she outlined Government’s shift from recent crisis stabilization at the company toward a new phase centered on regulation, compliance, and lawful tariff oversight under TEATT.

The Minister emphasized that the instruction to GEBE is not optional and said any tariff proposal will be reviewed, verified, and assessed for legality, justification, and fairness before Government takes a position.

She said the regulatory work is grounded in the BTP/RAC evaluation completed in April 2025, which identified gaps in data, transparency, and reporting that must be addressed before any tariff adjustment can responsibly be considered.

Placing her remarks in context, the Minister noted that the Prime Minister led a stabilization phase at GEBE in recent months, which required direct crisis management to ensure continuity of service.

She said stability has now been restored, pointing to the installation of a new Supervisory Board and new executive leadership, including a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). With these conditions in place, she said Government is positioned to move into the next phase of oversight.

In addition to the compliance instruction to GEBE, the Minister said Government is advancing legislation to expand the Bureau of Telecommunications and Post into a full Regulatory Authority to ensure independent, professional oversight of essential services, including electricity.

The Minister stressed that Government will not allow inefficiencies to be passed on to consumers. She said any tariff structure must be transparent, non-discriminatory, and include properly structured social protections, including for seniors.

She reiterated that GEBE is a government-owned company that belongs to the people of St. Maarten and must operate in the public interest.

The Minister indicated that further updates will be provided as the compliance and tariff review process advances.

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