Tibbetts begins process to create utilities regulator
(CNS): The minister responsible for planning and public works began the process of dealing with a bundle of legislation that will pave the way for the much-anticipated utilities commission that the government hopes will not only act as the umbrella regulator for the technology, power, fuel and water sectors but also a watchdog for consumer protection. The new commission had its genesis in broad public concerns, which were adopted by government, that the two bulk fuel suppliers in Cayman have not been transparent about their prices and that consumers are getting a bad deal.
But the idea has now broadened to create a new regulatory and competitive regime for all local utilities providers, amid growing concerns about the service consumers receive from the telecoms providers and the need to provide better oversight for CUC and to remove the inherent conflict of having the government-owned water company also be the sector’s regulator.
Minister Kurt Tibbetts, who has responsibility for all the utilities, presented three other bills alongside the Utilities Regulation and Competition Bill Wednesday, which will begin the process. He stated that several more pieces of legislation regarding the water sector would be brought in January.
In response to criticisms in the local print media, Tibbetts refuted claims that the private sector water company, Consolidated Water, had not been involved in this process. He told MLAs that there had been consultation meetings and that this week he had spoken with the firm’s chief executive, who had confirmed he was content with the process.
The minster also said that the water stakeholders had received the proposed drafts amendments for their input ahead of the finalisation of the bills for the New Year meeting. He explained that the laws are coming in two parts because it was important to get the office up and running as soon as possible so that any issues can be ironed out.
Setting out the motivation, purpose and main points of the law, Tibbetts stated that it was new territory and there may need to be changes. The goal was not for government to “be draconian”, he said, but to create a new fair regime where consumers are protected and utility prices are fair but where competition and innovation can flourish.
Category: Laws, Politics, Private Sector Oversight
The headline should read, “Tibbetts drags his feet again.”
Watch as once again large amounts of money are spent doing nothing.
Silly people. Nothing CIG can do will ever benefit the people. Just CIG. Like taking candy from a blind baby. Again, and again, and again.
kurt??…….whatever…..zzzzzzzzzzzz
10.07am Still sleeping eh?
What ever happened to getting the two fuel supplies to stop making extra normal profits on us. Classic oligopoly.
One of the Benifits of making 100 million dollars a year is you can purchase a lot of friends.
Foreign Devil Turns out Freedom of Information does not apply to private sector entities. Therefore Fuel suppliers were able to withhold information necessary to complete investigation into actual prices paid by them. Maybe they should have been nationalised then FOI would apply.
To be “fair”, that’s a laugh. May end up being fair to some, but equitable, never. The responsible separate authorities can’t seem to manage what they have on their plate now. How is lumping all this together into one governing entity going to solve the problem? This sounds like another “black hole” authority where all complaints and concerns get sucked in and lost. At least it creates another opportunity for all regulated entities to get their stooge(s) into this new authority to do bidding in their favour.
I’m very interested to see how the water utilities are handled especially when we have a government entity and private entities selling water. The minister should also seriously revisit the privatisation of the Water Authority with respect to it’s selling water.
I sense another big overseas consulting contract being awarded shortly to tell this ministry how this is to be setup and administered. The resulting fee increases on utilities are more than likely going to be passed on to the consumer nullifying any compensation or savings that might be had otherwise.
All said, what about LIME/FLOW/SLOW or whatever they are called, being charged, in Little Cayman, for BROADBAND KYD 79.00, for 5 MBPS, and we are lucky to get 3 or 4. BROADBAND does not exist in Little Cayman, but we have had POMISES for it a number of years. I call it a Rip Off, and LOGIC is not much better, with the limited choice of channels, and poor signal, unless you enjoy watching lines on your TV.