FTC Hearing on BL&P's Electricity Rate Decision Adjourned Pending Ruling

The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) hearing to review its February 15 electricity rate decision has been adjourned pending a ruling on the matter.

FTC deputy chairman Dr Donley Carrington, who is chairing the five-member panel adjudicating the Barbados Light & Power Company Limited (BL&P) application, said they would issue a decision “at some time in the future”.

“We . . . have sought some areas of clarification and we will now consider the whole record to make our determination and we would report our decision based on the whole record,” Carrington told the hearing at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre today

Three days were scheduled for BL&LP’s motion for the FTC to review and vary its electricity rate decision, but following submissions by BL&P, via lead counsel, Ramon Alleyne KC, and some intervenors, it concluded about half way through day two.

Alleyne, who this morning responded to statements from the intervenors and reinforced points made in his submission yesterday, was also asked questions by Carrington, and commissioners Ruan Martinez and Dr Ankie Scott-Joseph, before the adjournment.

Alleyne urged the FTC panel to “stay within its legislative confines” when assessing the motion to review and vary its decision.

“The grounds for review and legal arguments made are all buttressed by established regulatory principles,” he said. (SC)