According to Lawrence, these two categories together owe the company some $21 million in unpaid bills. Government is known to be the single biggest debtor to GRENLEC in utiltiy bills.

Lawrence said that after Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada and the country was left in darkness, GRENLEC's main emphasis was to restore the business life of the island in an effort to revitalise the economy.

Although the entire country has not been electrified, 95 percent of the business community has electricity. Lawrence said it is important for customers to pay their bills since there has been a complete erosion of the company's revenue base.

He disclosed that the electricity restoration process has cost the company under $10 million. Customers Services Manager David Bruno who also briefed reproters said that GRENLEC will have to become more aggressive in dealing with those delinquent customers.

He pointed out that the company will continue its current collection strategy but another plan will come into being to inform customers who have electricity of the importance to pay their bills. Bruno stated that GRENLEC will be distributing small notices to customers through its meter men when they conduct their monthly meter checks, to remind them to pay their bills.

He admitted that GRENLEC's last resort will be to disconnect delinquent customers. It was also announced that customers who have not yet received electricity will not be charged any re-connection fee, once they were a customer before Hurricane Ivan.

Thirty (30) percent of the country is still without electricity since Ivan and GRENLEC has given a commitment to have these areas electrified by mid-April.