A Community activist has described as a “farce,” the Regulated Industries Commission’s (RICs) public consultations on its proposed new electricity rates.
Addressing a consultation about the issue on Monday at the Canaan/Bon Accord Multipurpose Facility, Lyndon Mack claimed there is a general feeling among residents that the commission has already made a determination on its proposed rates.
“At this point in time, what you are hearing here from residents are the belief that you have already made a final determination,” he said during the question and answer segment.
“You see in Trinidad and Tobago, we do things very backward. We come to residents for the very first time. This is the very first time I am hearing that your commission exists, because residents in Tobago don’t know about you. We have never ever heard about you.”
Mack claimed Tobagonians are experiencing all sorts of problems as a result of actions undertaken by the RIC.
“We have residents in Tobago here, apart from building issues, have problems with land issues, with poles being placed on to their lands. These are the things I see on social media every single day as a resident. I have business people complaining about you based on your inefficient methods.”
He said his concern was not really about the consultation but the process that was used.
“My concern is the process when you say to residents consult when you have already made a determination. And then you come to residents as a farce to say, we are consulting you.”
Mack continued, “The purpose of this exercise is that before you make a determination, you hear the feedback from every resident. This (attendees at the consultation) is not even one per cent of the residents of Bon Accord and Canaan, much less Tobago West.
“So even if a determination is supposed to be made, the question really is supposed to be how many residents have you actively consulted and invited to these consultations before you have made a final determination?”
RIC executive director Glenn Khan said he was taken aback by Mack’s claim that Tobagonians did not know about the organisation.
He said, “Before covid hit, our customer service people used to come to Tobago regularly to listen to people’s complaints so when you say that you never heard of us, I can’t say why.”
Mack responded, “This is the problem. We should we should not be having people coming from Trinidad to Tobago to see about Tobago’s issues. This is Trinidad and Tobago. There should be people from your commission in Tobago to represent the interests of people here. So this is a backward process.”
RIC chairman Dawn Callender interjected, saying Tobago’s interests are represented on the commission through its deputy chairman Raye Sandy.
She said sandy represents Tobago “exceptionally well” and his opinions are valued.
The commission is due to host a second public consultation on Tuesday in Tobago at the Belle Garden Multipurpose Facility from 5-7pm.
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