MORGAN
THE OFFICE of the Utilities Regulation (OUR) is reviewing existing legislation in order to make a formal proposal to the Cabinet regarding the establishment of a Public Counsel Office to advocate consumer issues.
OUR Director-General, J. Paul Morgan, who first made the recommendation during a meeting with the business community in Montego Bay recently, said that Jamaica is badly in need of consumer advocates, particularly in the area of utilities.
Mr. Morgan noted that the role of the OUR as a quasi-judicial organ of the state, precludes it from advocating to itself, instead a consumer advocate must emerge and make representation to the office on behalf of consumers.
He said that the proposed public counsel would have the responsibility to appear before the OUR and provide reasoned arguments and proposals on behalf of consumers.
REASONED ARGUMENTS
Mr. Morgan also noted that it was because of this deficiency in consumer representation that the OUR had established the Consumer Advisory Committee on Utilities (CACU) five years ago.
Included in his proposal is a recommendation that the CACU and its ever-increasing expertise in utility consumer advocacy be made available to the Office of the Public Defender.
According to Mr. Morgan, the public defender in his expanded role would then appear before the OUR and advocate for consumer rights and benefits.
