Urges One-Voice Approach to crisis Brison: NA/UP coalition also failed to take decisive action of GEBE

GREAT BAY--Former Member of Parliament Rolando Brison has weighed in on the ongoing GEBE crisis, noting that while UP leader MP Omar Ottley is entitled to challenge the sitting government on electricity relief, he must also acknowledge that the last coalition, of which he was a part, failed to take decisive action. Brison is also the former leader of the United People (UP) party.

He was a guest on the radio program "The Breakfast Lounge" with Lady Grace on Monday. “Inadequate action on GEBE hurt both the UP and the NA at the polls, because this is an issue that touches every single household directly,” Brison stated.

He argued that Parliament must stop trading blame and instead convene a closed-door, all-parties session to craft one clear plan and one united message. “Put the cameras off, come together, agree on a plan, give the government six months to implement, and then hold them accountable,” he said.

Brison stressed that responsibility for GEBE’s decline is shared across the political spectrum, pointing out that every party since the 1980s contributed to the problem, beginning with the flawed introduction of the fuel clause decades ago. “We all did something wrong at some point,” he remarked, “so now is the time to fix it together.”

He also criticized the current confusion created by conflicting reports from BTP, GEBE, and other entities, arguing that it is Parliament’s duty to synthesize these inputs and give clear direction to government.

At the same time, he cautioned against populist calls for deep rate cuts without a sustainable plan, warning that such a move could bankrupt GEBE and open the door to Dutch takeover. “People want real relief, but cutting tariffs in half without revenue replacement means the lights could go out in six months,” he said.

Brison added that part of the solution lies within TEATT, where he now serves as a senior policy advisor. He supports regulating and auditing GEBE’s fuel purchases and establishing a transparent formula for setting fuel clause charges, similar to how gas pump prices are determined.

“GEBE is too critical for finger-pointing. Parliament needs to lead with one voice, not twelve different ones,” Brison concluded.