Minister of Energy Kerrie Symmonds has defended Government’s decision to amend the Electric Light & Power Act amid a warning by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) that the change will eliminate some consumer rights.President of the DLP Dr Ronnie Yearwood said on Monday that the proposed amendment scheduled to be debated in Parliament on Tuesday will remove some of the public’s rights to object to the award of electricity licences for big power systems and to make representation to the Minister about the terms and conditions contained in electricity licences.“The amendment will severely limit the right of all Barbadian voters, consumers and businesses from objecting to, or expressing their concerns about any application for a licence to supply electricity in Barbados, whether it is Barbados Light and Power or any other company that wants to generate electricity in Barbados,” Dr Yearwood stated.He quoted from the existing Electric Light and Power Act that gives the opportunity for “all interested parties” to make representation to the Minister, and noted that under Section 5 of the amendment, that is being replaced with an instruction that any “interested party” will first have to justify why they are interested in objecting.
