GOVERNMENT IS GIVING the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) more power to protect consumers.
From next month independent power producers (IPPs) should also be able to get licences allowing them to supply electricity to the national grid. This too will mean an expanded mandate for the FTC and a change of the status quo for the Barbados Light & Power Company Limited (BL&P).
Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development Donville Inniss, who is responsible for the state regulator, made the announcement on Friday night at the FTC’s 11th annual lecture at Accra Beach Hotel.
Legislation that governs how the FTC functions will be amended to enable it to “obtain civil redress for consumers” via the Consumer Claims Tribunal and give it power to “investigate complaints against telecommunications providers other than Cable and Wireless and licensed providers such as independent power producers in the electricity sector”. (SC)
Please read the full story in today’s Sunday Sun, or in the eNATION edition.
