OfReg opens public opinion survey
(CNS): The beleaguered utilities regulator, OfReg, is opening up itself for more direct criticism with the launch of two online customer service surveys, one for business and one for the general public. OfReg Chief Executive Officer Malike Cummings said while there is some overlap in the questions, one of the surveys is intended for operators in the industry sectors regulated by OfReg while the other survey is directed toward those who use the various utilities, which is just about everyone.
“Although some of the questions in both surveys are the same, they are designed to reflect the different ways in which OfReg interact with our distinct sets of stakeholders,” Cummings added.
The surveys will be open through until the end of July, when the results will be tabulated and analysed with the key takeaways being made public on OfReg’s website in August.
“The goal of these surveys is for us to better understand how well — or not well — we’re meeting the needs and expectations of the community, whether they are industry-related stakeholders or members of the public,” the OfReg boss said.
“If we’re not meeting their needs in terms of customer service and accessibility to information, we would like to know why so that we can improve and better serve our stakeholders,” he stated in a press release announcing the surveys. “The insight and feedback from the public as well as from the industries we regulate will inform targeted improvement interventions. These surveys will be an annual feature, as part of OfReg’s strategic imperative of continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement and improved service delivery.”
Since its creation in 2017 the regulator has received more criticism than almost any other government entity. Last year, the auditor general concluded that the agency had completely failed in its intended mission, and the Public Accounts Committee hearings revealed a catalogue of problems with OfReg. PAC chairman at the time, Ezzard Miller, had called for the board chairman of OfReg, Linford Pierson to be removed.
Respondents can take the survey anonymously and the link for the public survey is here.
Links for the industry survey will be emailed to entities related to the sectors regulated by OfReg, which includes businesses operating in the ICT, energy, fuel and water sectors.
You can also take the quick CNS poll below:
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Politics, Private Sector Oversight
Are all Caymanians dishonest?…….. or is it just the politicians?
Just done the survey for individuals… in truth, what will you gain from it? We use all the items on the list, as will most of the population. If you want to know what the public think of OfReg, just ask that question for each section. The costs for everything is too high. You appear to be in cahoots with CUC Ltd, you forced the TV station to close down, because you did not force the competition to obey the law. You will not follow the direction of your board of directors. The internet costs are unreasonable, and the service keeps dropping. The service providers say it’s not their problem it’s issues with the underwater communication line. You are not interested in sustainable energy, won’t approve the batteries for solar in a timely manner. We had to wait for over a year for an increase in the solar energy allowance. You should be encouraging everyone to move to clean energy. You are considering LNG, why? it is a dangerous dirty fuel, especially when we have LPG readily available, which is a safer cleaner fuel. The cost to implement LNG vs LPG is staggering, and who do you think will pay for it? We, the people of The Cayman Islands, putting our costs up higher. LNG and LPG is Not as clean as solar! The cost of gas at the gas stations is just too high. Ask the right questions and get real results. Just because someone doesn’t complain to OfReg doesn’t mean they are happy with the situation
To note, natural gas (methane) is predominately CH4, whereas propane is predominantly C3H8. As propane is therefore a more complex hydrocarbon, it will have more instances of partial combustion as compared to natural gas, leading it being a “dirtier” fuel source. While I appreciate Home Gas and Clean Gas may try to indicate otherwise, chemistry is chemistry.
However, that does not take away from infrastructure considerations, which may, coupled with the actual price of product, make one fuel more advantageous than other in limited circumstances – it would realistically depend on how long the infrastructure is capitalized and the total volume of product used during that time, coupled with the differential product prices (with natural gas being typically cheaper by 15-25% per MMBtu). So what really matters is whether enough would be used that the overall savings outstripped the infrastructural cost requirements (and you could add to that consideration the avoided carbon emissions as compared to propane) to come to a rational decision.
We could just run a pipeline to the parliament building.
Keep the trough full for the snouts and siphon of the natural gas.
It thought it was mostly hot air, but blowhards are blowhards, am I right?
I’m quite sure Ofreg wouldn’t want my opinion…
Hey PACT…….. Please tell us what action you believe is suitable here. We are ready for some relief from out previous “leaders”. Does anyone know right from wrong?
There should have been a question as to whether or not you like the fleet of shiny SUV’s and pickups with the OfReg logo on the door?
hey should save us the expense and time and just liquidate. Worst value for money Cayman has ever had.
That survey is a bigger joke than Of Reg itself …
How often do you use water?
How often do you use electricity?
WHO THE XXXX THOUGHT THIS WAS A RESPONSIBLE USE OF OUR MONEY
THIS NEEDS TO END
Our entire government has one purpose. To enrich themselves at the expense of whoever is not in the know.
To me, the government seems like a legalized criminal cabal.
Martin Roper has shown his true colours by refusing to address the oppression of the people. This man does not belong in the Cayman Islands. He needs to pack up and take all his guns back to the UK.
When has he stood against the astronomically high cost of living, the gouging by the utility companies that is tolerated and the excessive regulation that makes doing business incredibly difficult? The answer is, Never.
And when he is gone, perhaps we can get a real man or woman of the people and thoroughly investigate the dealings of the Lodge.
You would be hard-pressed to find anyone at a senior level in government who is not Lodge. This phenomenon is epidemic throughout the Caribbean and seems to elucidate the greedy indigenous selling out their people for temporal wealth from the “generous” white man.
I live in hope that truth will one day make a comeback and the true evil of this dishonest global structure will be exposed for the shallow, empty philosophy that it really is.
1.43am Get it through your thick (and sleepless) head, the Governor’s not here to interfere with internal self government. That’s the job of your Premier and your M.P’s, blame them!.
O.K., mister anon against ignorance. But I will blame this Premier and the MPs only if they continue to operate as previous leadership has done.
Exactly. For some reason it always turns around to ex-pats that are the problem.
Well, as much as I agree with protecting minorities /all, the Governor is very willing to speak up where LGBTQ protections are concerned….so why not other areas of concern, especially where “Good Governance” or the lack thereto, is also of concern?
Sad but true! The Cayman Islands is near the top of the list of corrupt governments. Can PACT get government out of the “corrupt government” group? I hope so, but I have grave doubts.
Actually no. Wayne is Lodge. He told me as much but in all fairness he said he had not been to a meeting in a long time.
I don’t believe him for a minute, but that’s the rub.
Just browsed the survey. It’s largely about the services under OfReg’s regulation, but missing entirely is whether you have an opinion on whether your satisfaction (or lack) has anything to do whatsoever with OfReg’s work (or lack thereof).
So imagine if you say you’re relatively satisfied with your water service, they’re going to pat themselves on the back even if you felt they have little or nothing to do with it. Farcical.
OfReg knows this information, if they would only listen! But of course they don’t / won’t.
“The surveys will be open through until the end of July, when the results will be tabulated and analysed with the key takeaways being made public on OfReg’s website in August”.
Who is doing the “tabulating and analyzing?
The entire lineup there needs to go!
Thankfully CNS provided a useful survey here also, which can be trusted!
They are supposed to be in place to help us and make sure things are fair. The recent farse with the fuel cover-up is one of the many indicators that they don’t have our best interest at heart. Refusing to give out a list of the fuel companies on the island that had rust in their tanks among other issues because they didn’t want people to not visit these companies… um of course we won’t visit them if they are selling dodgy fuel. That’s your job… Most people have lost faith in them.
Was that list ever printed or the dodgy gas stations identified
This is superfluous, all they need to do is read the comments on CNS, yearafter year, after year.
How about one question survey. Should OfReg be shut down? That’s the one and only question they need on the survey.
@ This is a great comment! Will the Premier see it? Will he acknowledge he has seen it? Will he agree that it would save Caymanians many dollars? Hello…… is anyone listening?
My opinion? Sweep out the Board and senior Management. Oh wait, that will leave the leadership gutted. Hmm. ok…dismantle OfReg!!
And do what? Have no regulation over energy and telecoms at all? Just let CUC and the oil companies do whatever they want?” Let the telcoms charge whatever they want for internet service? Are you crazy?
Sarcasm? They already do whatever they want.
save money and go back to what we had before off reg.
Nobody liked the ICTA I can tell you that! Or the Petroleum Inspectorate!
They are doing it already so who is really crazy?
Were would you put all the lodge members?
Airports Authority
Oh how we are going to miss Mr. Ezzard. Where is Saunders? He wanted to disband these guys when he was in opposition.