Last Friday, there was a summit meeting in Santiago whose central theme was the energy crisis being felt in the northern half of the country. Last Wednesday, the president of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce and Production, Jose Bonilla Bojos, called for such a meeting because the Cibao area was experiencing the worst electric service in memory, riots were springing up all across the area and businesses were on the verge of closing down. By Friday, the summit became a reality and George Reinoso, the Superintendent of Electricity, Edwin Croes, the new general manager of EdeNorte and EdeSur and officials of the CDEEE met in Santiago to face the business community. Although some harsh words were exchanged, especially between Croes and members of the Chamber, in general, the meeting went well and the business community received some positive news. Perhaps the most disturbing news that emerged, as reported by El Caribe, was the fact that 41% of all electricity distributed, went unpaid. Croes warned his audience that if the new taxes are not paid, there will not be any electricity.