General Manager of DOMLEC Collin Cover is denying claims that the power company has been dragging its feet on applying for a new license to operate in Dominica, blaming ambigious rules instead.
Executive Director of the Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC), Lancelot McCaskey has, in the past accused DOMLEC of foot dragging on the issue and in a press conference of Monday confirmed that the power company has now begun negotiations for a new license but after “dancing around the issue” for some months.
However, speaking on state-owned DBS radio, Cover blamed the rules for applying for the license for the delay, saying they were unclear and there was “some kind of ambiguity” in the way they could be interpreted.
“The original rules were unclear,” he said. “It is not a matter of foot dragging. We saw the rules, we read them in a different light in the way the IRC read them. We expressed that and they went ahead and changed the rules.”
Cover said once the rules were “crystal clear” DOMLEC went ahead and began negotiations for the new license. “It is crystal clear and anybody can interpret the rules,” the DOMLEC boss told DBS. “There is no ambiguity and so we thank them (the IRC) for making the rules crystal clear.”
DOMLEC’s current license expires in December 2015.
I can’t believe some of us Dominicans are so uninformed. People please check with the rest of the Caribbean islands. Try to find out how their bills are put together. I will assure you that it’s not much different than Dominica.
Also, please find out who’s actually responsible for the cost of electricity in Dominica.
Even further, please think again about having government run the power company. Just ask civil servants if they think it’s a good idea.
And I can go on to say that it is pure madness to think that any company will be able to operate and be internationally viable without making a profit.
For the person who said that Domlec is responsible for a lack of investment in Dominica I would like you to step back for a second. If you owned a foreign company and had to look at the only power production and distribution company on the island and see that they don’t make a profit and can barely pay their workers, would you invest in that country? I know for sure that I would not. Oh hell no.
Let’s face reality, this isn’t just a Domlec or WRB issue. There is already too much political intervention in the way power is managed in Dominica. You guys wanna suggest that we put more.
When the Domlec employees loose their jobs and have to depend on Social Security, I hope the rest of us remember that we’re going to be the ones stuck with their bills. Next thing you know Social Security is going to increase on their rates even more.
It’s called the ripple effect. Let’s see what happens.
No doubt they have to make a profit. THe issue that gets distorted here is that they were given the means to keep cost of production down on a platter, using hydro. It’s a no brainer. They took the easy route of using the same means of production as the islands without rivers or means of using hydro power.
Remember folks, it was UWP that sold DOMLEC to this private company.
Ya, it was a bad deal/bad decision. We all agree Domlec should make a profit, we are better off if they make profit – many of us are share holders.
But the important thing is that they have to care about the customer or seem to care, by keeping the cost of producing electricity down. Not just investing in big diesel generators and passing the cost of fuel to the customer. They inherited a HYDRO plant which they were supposed to up keep and improve. It once suffered damage by a storm so Domlec disregarded calls from Gov’t and ordinary citizens to get it fixes and expand on it, because Hydro is our salvation.
Well…Domlec has neglected hydro and took the easy road of diesel generators and passing the high fuel cost to customers. Insultive bad business. Contracts have to be rewritten to take back full control from Domlec given to them in one of the worse deals ever made.
Who was responsible for the sale of Domlec to the Yanks? Where did the money go? UWP….That is why the cost of electricity is so high. The yanks as usual want huge profits regardless!!!
Sheesh what is wrong with you people? Profit is a good thing, how u all expect Domlec to pay there employees if they don’t make a profit. GeeZ Man!
Cover just said “Domlec will be around for a very long time to come”. Now that is very scarry. We should get ready to take them out of the picture by any means necessary.
Let the licence expire. Domlec is solely responsible for lack of foreign investment in our economy. Make it a new era where they do not generate, but Gov’t take controle of generation and geothermal.
I agree. End Of Story.
Cover is taking those fellas for fools, hope he has met his match.
when you say ambigous what you really mean is less money for all you,,,,,,give dominicans a break and emancipate us from you high rates
The legislative authority has a duty to ensure that the regulatory Rules are clear and unambiguous.
Anoother reason to allow the contract to lapse is to protect Dominica from potential future litigation, should (I Hope they do not) not win any of the new licences.
Domlec (WIP) failed to meet the deadline, let the contract lapse.
DomLec missed the deadline (2011) to commence negotiation. So they should NOT be allowed to start now.
The contract runs out in 5 year and Domlec (WIP) failure to commence negotiation, should mean the contract should be allowed to lapse.
NO MORE hard earned Dominican money being sent to Florida.
KEEP WIP away from Power Generation of ANY kind in Dominica.
That’s DOMLEC; always “dragging” when it comes to answering to the public, BUT when we drag to pay our bills, they waste no time in turning us off! Inconsiderate bratts!!
Domlec is one of the problem with Dominica’s lack of manufacturers. rates are too high in that country. imagine nobody occupying a home for two weeks only to return and receive a bill for $400.00.One other thing Dominicans should be aware of is that Domlec is a privately owned company out to make a PROFIT. who said that IF the geothermal system gets on track and Domlec gets energy for cheaper that we are going to see any of that profit? their cost will go down but the rates will remain the same so their bottom line will increase and get better.i think the government should take over Domlec so ppl can get a relief from that oppression. they raise the rates when the fuel goes up but when it comes down nothing happens. DOMLEC IS MILKING DOMINICANS POOR. the islands have become a gold mine for these cooperations. all over the caribbean is the same. recently some guyanese were demonstrating about that same injustice only to have 3 of them shot dead. WAKE UP PPL WAKE UP!!!!!!
well said!! I was in Dominica, and was not using a lot of my electricity, because I had no tv, and turned the fan on seldomly. For four months, my bill was no more than $5.00. I travelled for one month, and came back to a bill of $42.00. How did that happen? I tried contesting it, because boy oh boy, the employees are trained to be hardcore,,no doubt about it! Anyways, they will continue to take from poor people, and like you said, “IF the geothermal gets on track,” DA ppl will still get robbed!!
Typical delaying taticts.Just say you dont understand what the clause in question means.
they’ve never pushed for the geothermal, actually they’ve found that aspect of generation to be a potential hole in their pockets
Dominica need another revolution…. Let some of these so called leaders know ….. People serious!!
Until then we will get the run around and more bullshit rules (only for one set)
wicked!
these DOMLEC ppl
I hope The geothermal plant will be operating back and domlec out
Dominicans should not expect relief from Domlec or any other power company. we were fooled to believe that CDC was our problem and once they leave all our power problems would be over. Out went CDC and when this new company came, one of the first things they said is, “don’t expect to see prices drop”. WE complained about three things with CDC. The monopoly, the guaranteed return on investments and the license required to have and operate a generator. Have we seen a change in any of those things? the only thing that this new company change has been the tariffs and cost of electricity not to the benefit of the consumers. We can cry. complain but all we will get is more boards to pay more people money while our rates rise.
DOMLEC MUST GOOOOOOOO TO MUCH PROFIT MAKING ON DOMINICAN
Let it expire and seize the assets what allu complaining about. DOMLEC current administration doh bleed us enough den…
COVER MUST NOT TRY TO TAKE US FOR DUMMIES. Since when the rule is unclear or ambigious? Doh try that Cover.