Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
MORGAN
J. PAUL Morgan, director general of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), says he is confident that the Bureau of Standards of Jamaica (BSJ) and the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) will set aside their differences and sign a new meter-testing regime by October 1.
Mr. Morgan told The Gleaner yesterday that his office has been in constant dialogue with the management of the BSJ over requirements of the OUR Act, which will form the base of the new regime.
"I expect that we will have everything in place by the end of September so that we will have a formal regime working by October I don't have any reason to believe that we won't meet it," Mr. Morgan said.
The OUR Act, in part, calls for an independent party to test JPS meters and ease consumer claims that the power company has been overcharging them in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan which lashed Jamaica in September last year.
JPS REFUND
During the OUR's quarterly performance press conference last Friday, the organisation ruled that JPS should refund 10,749 accounts a total of $11,571,649.
The BSJ and JPS have been embroiled in a bitter feud since early this year over the BSJ's right to test its meters.
In its defence, the BSJ claims the Weight and Measures Act of 1976 gives them the right to do so. But in April, JPS successfully took the matter to the Supreme Court which barred the BSJ from carrying out such functions.
During the OUR press conference, Mr. Morgan addressed the OUR/BSJ discussions. "I have set a target that the framework and legal issues must be resolved and codified so that testing of meters will commence no later than October 1," he said.
Dr. Omer Thomas, executive director of the BSJ, was reportedly in a meeting when The Gleaner contacted his office yesterday. Winsome Callum, public relations manager at JPS, said she was not in a position to comment yesterday.
