The commission hearing a request for a basic electricity rate on Wednesday issued a final warning to intervenors and attorneys for the applicant regarding their behaviour, and promised to evict anyone who continues to “disrespect” the tribunal.It was the second time that the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) panel has cautioned parties on both sides about their conduct during the proceedings which are considering the request from the Barbados Light and Power Company (BLPC) for an 11.9 per cent hike in rates to customers. Today, however, was the first time the commissioners told parties they would be removed from the hearing.The panel’s stern warning stated: “If the behaviour continues, the person or persons will be removed from the hearing either physically or virtually. Please be guided accordingly,” the commission ruled.The ruling followed a shouting match between intervenor and attorney-at-law Tricia Watson and lead counsel for the BLPC, Ramon Alleyne whose voices almost drowned out that of the chairman of the hearing Dr Donley Carrington, as he sought to restore order to the proceedings. The drama started to unfold when under cross-examination by Watson, the company’s Director of Finance Ricaido Jennings was asked “do you appreciate that the failure to retire the inefficient steam plant and put more efficient equipment, cost Barbadian consumers over $300 million and it, therefore, cannot be said that retaining the steam plant has been beneficial to Barbados Light and Power’s customers?”
