by Linda Straker
- New board will serve for one year, effective 15 November 2022
- Other members are Asif Jasat, Andrew Richards, Abiola Streete, and Brian Samuel
- PURC main role is to regulate conduct and affairs of public utilities
Andrew Millet is the new chairman of the 5-member Board of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC). He and the other new members were approved for the position during the Cabinet meeting on 14 November 2022.
According to a notice in the 2 December 2022 edition of the Government Gazette, the new board will serve for one year, effective 15 November 2022.
The other members are Asif Jasat as Vice Chair, Andrew Richards, Abiola Streete, and Brian Samuel. The PURC is appointed in accordance with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission Bill, 2016 and its main role is to regulate the conduct and affairs of public utilities.
The functions of the Commission are among other things to hear and determine complaints from consumers about rates payable for any service of a public utility on the ground that such rates are unfair or unreasonable or contrary to law and to hear and resolve any dispute that may arise between parties governed by an enactment regulating the supply of services by a public utility.
The Commission shall also provide advice to any other Minister with responsibility for the sector in which any public utility subject to this Act, in the performance of his or her functions, duties, and powers as provided for under the enactment and any licence or permit granted under the enactment; and enforce the terms and conditions of any licence granted or issued pursuant to any enactment under which the Commission has been conferred regulatory functions and powers.
The legislation establishing the Commission states that the members shall consist of either 3 or 5 members, at the discretion of the Minister, including the Chairperson, all of whom shall be designated Commissioners and shall be appointed by the Minister, from among persons of high character and integrity.
In the case of a Commission comprising 3 members, it shall be the Chairperson and one other member appearing to the Minister to be qualified having experience and shown capacity in trade, law, finance, economics, engineering, accounting or business management, and one member representative of the general public or consumer organisations.
In the case of a Commission comprising 5 members, it shall be the Chairperson and 2 other members appearing to the Minister to be qualified to have experience and shown capacity in trade, law, finance, economics, engineering, accounting or business management, one member representative of consumer organisations and one member representative of the general public.
A person who held a senior position in a public utility subject to the Act and his or her employment has been terminated less than 5 years, and a person who owns or otherwise holds more than 5% of shares or any other interests in a public utility under subject to this Act is not qualified to be a member of the Commission.
The notice in the gazette did not say which member represented the general public or a consumer organisation.
This is absolutely madness. There is no need of a board when there is a bureau of standards. The bureau of standards must have investigative powers. More so, a ministry of Justice should be a permanent department for all governments.