Around twenty residents from Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula completed a journey of more than 150 kilometers yesterday, Monday 8 October, when they arrived at the Presidential Palace after setting off from Las Terrenas on Friday, 5 October. They were protesting against the “abusive cost” of their private electricity supplier Luz y Fuerza (Light and Strength) that has had the monopoly on the provision of electricity in the area for the last 20 years.
They said that the lowest electricity bill there is RD$5,000 a month, but some people pay up to RD$22,000 and they asked the government to allow other companies like the governmental Edenorte, to compete with Luz y Fuerza. Luz y Fuerza executives in turn have asked for more support from the government, such as that offered to the governmental power distributors, in order to offer better rates.
Renata Aquino, assistant to the Deputy Minister of the Presidency, Henry Molina, met the protesters and promised to deliver their request to President Danilo Medina.
www.eldia.com.do/nacionales/2012/10/8/95836/Peregrinos-de-Las-Terrenas-llegan-hasta-el-Palacio-en-protesta-contra