IRC to establish Consumer Advisory Committee

Roseau, Dominica, November 1, 2010: The Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC) is seeking members for a body to provide a direct link to electricity consumers. The Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) is being set up by the IRC to give guidance on relevant consumer issues.

The IRC has contacted all of Dominica’s local authorities for suggestions and nominations and is now broadening its search with a media campaign. Dominica’s electricity regulator believes that an effective consumer body will not only serve to address the needs and concerns of consumers, but will provide a useful resource to the IRC in the conduct of its duties.

“The electricity sector in Dominica needs a group which is focused on consumer interests. At the IRC, we seek to engage and involve consumers in all we do; however we must also consider the service providers and the nation in our decision making. So to ensure that we’re truly connected, we feel a nationwide network group which is dedicated solely to consumers will give us the feedback we need to make decisions which fully take into account their position.”

The objectives of the Consumer Advisory Committee are:

•    to serve as a formal mechanism to exchange ideas and concerns related to electricity services as identified by CAC members and consumers in their communities
•    to serve as a communications vehicle to Dominica through the various communities on the work and plans of the IRC and its impact on the country and consumers
•    to assist in the education of consumers on electricity matters

The ten (10) member committee will include a representative from each parish in Dominica and the Chair will be chosen from among them. Each member should preferably have an area of expertise/interest – e.g. financial knowledge, engineering, electrical expertise, legal knowledge, community animation/communications etc.

Interested individuals are asked to call, email or go online to nominate themselves or someone they know for consideration. The deadline for nominations is November 15, 2010. It is anticipated that the Committee will be established by the end of 2010.

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4 Comments

  1. Can't Tame That Beast
    November 2, 2010

    This is totally unnecessary and irrelevant.
    Domlec management is not as dumb as this makes them look. They know what’s going on. We are a small community, they know all the who is who’s on the island, the financial knowledge, engineering, electrical expertise, legal knowledge people. Any and many companies simply plant people in these organizations, that’s how big free enterprise businesses like domlec do but that’s beyond the point.

    What people are mad about is their rates, nothing else, rolling blackouts have improved. We have tried everything to tame that Beast, we all upgraded to energy efficient bulbs, fridges etc., nothing helped us. The price of oil has not gone up much the past 2 years, yet domlec rates have almost doubled in the past year. What an animal.

    What the IRC trying to achieve is irrelevant. Domlec is just going to render them a bunch of cheer leaders. Domlec does what it wants! you can’t stop them except to take to the streets. That’s the only thing they will understand and respect. So what’s a few months without electricity, we have to be brave to shake that monkey off our backs. After hurricane David D/a didn’t sink in the ocean, so there was no lights for a while but we survived very well.

    “Interested individuals are asked to call, email or go online to nominate themselves or someone they know for consideration”…..are you kidding me? All any management organization would do is simply run their oun campaign to get their people on this committee, it’s a no-brainer. Domlec does what it wants!
    What is the committee going to do , urge them to cut the branches around lines in our communities? They already doing that. lol lol
    The problem the IRC was put in place to help solve is high sky-rocketted electricity rates.
    Thanks for for running this story DNO.

  2. Responding to "Best Interest"
    November 2, 2010

    I would like to ask “Best Interest” to please read the article over (at least twice), as the objectives are laid out there. However if you still have queries, my advise to you is to call the IRC’s office. I am sure the office will be happy to assist you further.

  3. Conscious
    November 2, 2010

    @BEST INTEREST: Obviously, Conscious, you did not understand what you read. The objectives are clearly stated in the news item.

  4. BEST INTEREST
    November 1, 2010

    I would like some more information on the exact purpose of this committee. Is it to source alternative sources of electricity? I know a certain gentleman who tried his best to sell the idea of geothermal energy but he was swiped down like a fly. On the other hand, I also know that there was a deal with the devil (Domlec) which allowed them to rape the Dominican public with increases in rates ever so often. I also know first hand, that no matter what methods you employ to save on consumption, it makes no difference in your bills. We have been advised to turn off appliances from walls, change light bulbs and all the likes only to find out that at the end of it all, Domlec would just use your last few bills and estimate a figure for you to pay.

    So my questions again is clarification of exactly what are the objectives of this committee.

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