Small Business Association calls on OUR to reject NWC’s “damaging” 51 per cent tariff hike request

KINGSTON, Jamaica —The Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) has strongly voiced its opposition to the National Water Commission’s (NWC) newly submitted application to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) for a 51 per cent increase in water and sewerage tariffs. The association, in a Wednesday press release, formally called on the OUR to reject the application and urged the government to hold utility companies accountable for service delivery and fiscal discipline. Describing the proposed increase as ‘massive ’, the SBAJ said small business owners and commercial operators are already grappling with lingering economic strains, the fallout from Hurricane Melissa, and severe drought conditions as it  slammed the proposal as “deeply insensitive and damaging”. The NWC filed the multi-year tariff review application covering the 2026/27 to 2030/31 period and affecting roughly 500,000 customers islandwide with officials arguing that the hike is required to close revenue gaps and fund ongoing infrastructure plans. However, commenting on the development, SBAJ President Garnett Reid criticised the timing and rationale behind the request. "This proposed 51 per cent increase is unconscionable. Small businesses and everyday Jamaicans are still struggling to recover from the effects of a severe drought and the fallout from Hurricane Melissa. Instead of shifting massive financial burdens onto consumers, the NWC needs to get its house in order—prioritising the repair of leaking pipes and addressing deep-seated operational inefficiencies rather than demanding that the public pay for mounting debts," he said.