President Hipolito Mejia, interviewed in Taiwan, told journalists that power distributors need to resolve by themselves their difficulties in collecting for power delivered to customers. "I am not going to carry that burden," ("Yo no me voy a echar ese muerto encima"), said President Mejia. A spokesman for Edeeste (an affiliate of AES), Manuel Lopez San Pablo, said government assistance is necessary during the transition. People in the barrios had not been billed for the service until privatization. The President has said that everyone has to pay. Even the barrios. But he says collecting is the responsibility of the distributors. The distributors, nevertheless, have had difficulties in collecting. Edesur and Edenorte, affiliates of Union Fenosa, declined comment. The distributors accept it is their responsibility. Lopez said, "Because in certain areas of the DR the infrastructure and population conditions are critical, socially and politically, we understand that to confront the problem with success and in a sustainable manner, we need the support of society, meaning the government and the community leaders," said Lopez. He said that to improve the service, all consumers must pay. He said the companies cannot afford the losses from delivering power to people who do not pay. This situation is unsustainable, he said. Not being able to collect from the slum areas, the companies have resorted to prolongued blackouts in areas with high concentrations of people who do not pay. This practice is protested by those who have started to pay. Lopez said that the companies want to work with the government to find a gradual solution to the problem.
