PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has defended his October 8 meeting with SOL, Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs and selected Members of Parliament, describing it as an informational discussion on electricity costs that was not intended to interfere with BTP’s ongoing independent regulatory review.
Speaking at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, October 14, Mercelina repeatedly emphasized the informational nature of the engagement. He said the meeting brought together representatives from both coalition and opposition because electricity affordability affects the entire country.
“It was not a political agenda,” the Prime Minister said.
His explanation addresses the central question surrounding the meeting: how a discussion between government, parliamentarians and a fuel supplier fits alongside an independent examination of utility pricing.
Fuel pricing and supplier margins discussed
According to Mercelina, the meeting examined electricity affordability, fuel pricing, supplier margins, operational costs and possible opportunities to improve efficiency.
He described the discussion as “very, very successful,” but his prepared remarks did not announce a reduction in electricity tariffs, a change to supplier margins or a timetable for consumer relief.
The Prime Minister said the engagement followed questions raised during Parliament’s handling of the 2026 budget. He had committed to inviting parliamentarians, including MP Omar Ottley, to discuss the challenges behind utility costs.
Mercelina argued that the discussions were necessary to help participants understand the complexity of fuel and electricity pricing.
That explanation, however, leaves consumers waiting for practical results. Understanding the components of an electricity bill is one step; determining whether households and businesses can reduce those costs remains the issue.
BTP process must be respected
Mercelina said the meeting was not intended to interfere with BTP's independent review.
“We are going to respect that process,” he stated.
He described BTP’s ongoing work as part of a process toward an advisory regulatory role in utility tariffs. According to the Prime Minister, its engagement with relevant stakeholders will provide guidance on determining utility prices.
His remarks did not present findings from that review or suggest that BTP had completed its work.
The distinction matters: the October 8 meeting was described as an exchange of information, while the regulatory examination remains ongoing.
Consumers still waiting for relief
Mercelina maintained that electricity affordability should be approached as a national concern requiring cooperation, transparency and responsible solutions.
He also pledged to keep consumers’ interests at the center of the discussions.
For the public, the next measure of progress will be whether those discussions and BTP’s review produce clear explanations of electricity costs and concrete opportunities for relief.
The Prime Minister’s statement makes clear that the regulatory process must be respected. What remains outstanding is the outcome of that process—and what it will mean for consumers’ bills.
