Printed in the "Business Monday" newspaper on January 25, 2010
There have been recent reports in the media about possible changes in residential telephone rates. This article will explain the rate adjustment process used by Cable & Wireless (Barbados) Limited (C&W) for telecommunications services regulated by the Fair Trading Commission (Commission).
These services include residential and business line access,
installation, international direct dialed phone service, domestic
private leased circuits, voice mail, call waiting and call forwarding.
Printed in the "Business Monday" newspaper on December 28, 2009
Towards the end of 2008 the Fair Trading Commission (Commission) issued Standards of Service consultation papers on electricity and telecommunications. This article will focus on the performance of the Barbados Light & Power Company Ltd. (BL&P) under the Standards of Service for the year 2008/2009.
The Commission established Guaranteed and Overall Standards of Service for the BL&P in June 2006. The eight Guaranteed Standards are criteria under which each customer that is affected by the company’s inability to meet a given target is eligible for compensation. Overall Standards assess the company’s performance on a national level and do not have a compensatory component. There are five Overall Standards.
Barbados Light & Power Co. Ltd Rate Review - the Intervenors
When the Barbados Light and Power Company Limited (BL&P or Applicant) applied to the Fair Trading Commission for a review of electricity rates, the Commission in addition to advising the public about the rate application invited persons who were interested in participating in the rate review process to apply to be an intervenor.
Printed in the "Business Monday" newspaper on July 27, 2009
Electricity,
telecommunications, water and sewerage, natural gas and transportation services
are commonly referred to as public utilities. These industries (with the
exception of transportation and some telecommunications services) have tended
to operate in a monopoly environment so regulation was considered important in
view of their value to both consumer and economic welfare.
Printed in the "Business Monday" newspaper on June 1, 2009
The Fair Trading Commission (Commission), under its governing legislation, has been charged with utility regulation functions which include establishing principles for arriving at rates to be charged, monitoring the rates charged to ensure compliance, and setting the maximum rates for regulated utility services.
Utility Regulation 
