ITS TIME TO ACT

Guys;

Lets move this thing on...This blog has been up for nerly a year with limited success. The cry is still out there for a 'VIBRANT CONSUMER ORGANIZATION". Two of us from this blog are making another effort to do so. YOU MUST PLAY YOUR PART.. Click on the link and fill out the membership form and send it back to us.

I am sure that you too have been privy to the poor, bad, non existent customer service in this country as well as the ridiculously high prices.

The consumer is the being that could have some type of effect on both..

Lets do it....Go now to the link and fill in the form and send it back. We will then call a meeting in November with everyone that has signed up and go from there.

Its up to you the consumer now.

THANKS FOR FILLING OUT THE FORM..IT WILL BE WORTH IT
http://www.igloo.org/bangoonline/download-nocache/Library/consumer/bardosconsumerswatch/bcwmembershipformdoc

Electricity rates and the FTC

When David stood up to Golliath he had pebbles and a sling shot. But against BL&P which had two years to prepare a case the FTC has taken away both the sling shot and pebbles from the consumer. An informed review of the deadlines for the rate hearing shows that Intervenors have very tight deadlines and in some cases a few weeks to respond. Contrary to he one-way flow of information readers of this blog would be aware that the bigget costs are to be borne by those who can least afford it while Large Power are bearing the least increase overall.
Dr. Marion Williams made the point recently that in these times a safety net should be provided for the least who can afford it while those who can should bear a larger burden. The BL&P application does not reflect this. The largest increase is borne by the residential consumer, the next largest increase is borne by the small business and NGO, Churches etc and the Large Power users are to bear the least increase.
Is this fair?
And why is BL&P changing from an across the board rate proposal to an "inclining block". Would an across the board increase not be easier for a consumer to budget for? Why is the BL&P using a test year of 2008 when this was the year when the global energy crisis was at its highest. Would the application not be inflated against the interests of the consumer as a result?
What do you think?
Hallam Hope
caritel@hallamhope.com

PRINTER WARRANTY USELESS

HERE IS A LETTER FROM A CONSUMER WHO HAS HAD HORRORS TRYING TO GET WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A LEGAL WARRANTY PUT INTO ACTION...

Mr. Mark HurdChairman of the Board,
CEO & President of Hewlett-Packard
Dear Sir,
On 25th April I bought a CP1515n colour laser printer from On Line Consultancies here in Barbados SN ********** FOR $*** Bds. After a short time it began to malfunction, I returned it to the retailers on 25th June, they have a 30 day guarantee, then its down to you. A case # was eventually procured & I was told to call 1 800 711 2884 so I could arrange to have the replacement printer sent by UPS within two days. Since then I have spent approximately 13 hours on the phone to HP trying to be put through to the right department, but as yet no luck, I have been put through to people in Canada, US, & Mexico, none of which can help me as they can’t ship to the Caribbean. Your staff at the Caribbean/Latin America # either have the wrong information/not trained/or what? you tell me, I’m at a total loss as to what to do next.
A case manager I was mistakenly put through to in the US, Myrna Sweet has emailed your Head Office, she hasn’t had a reply either, she also called the Caribbean ‘Solution Centre’ & was put through to the wrong people, this happened again this week with someone else from HP who tried to help, if HP staff can’t be put through to the right HP department what hope do I have?
Your agents here in Barbados DC Office People have also been emailing you on my behalf, no reply to their e mails. Meanwhile my tiny home based business is in trouble because of your total lack of care & efficiency. I now HAVE to replace this printer this week, which means I will have to purchase another one, NOT HP, that’s for sure.
If a human being could reply to this email & not an automated response telling me I have to contact HP on 1 800 711 2884 I would be grateful. Then we can discuss my refund rather than replacement of this product. Please also note that people in ‘3rd world’ & ‘developing’ countries are not stupid & are tired of International Companies such as yours sending us second rate products, everyone deserves the same service & commitment wherever they reside.
I will forward a copy of this email to relevant people here, to the media, numerous anti HP Facebook pages, Barbados Free Press & email contacts.
Looking forward to your reply

Consumer

Water rate increases

Water rate woes
The analytical piece by Albert Brandford on higher water rates in the Sunday Sun of July 5th is a "must read" for all citizens.
It's much more than another excellent mix of analysis, research and fearless conclusions.
While Barbadians, particularly those in the lower income brackets, are burdened by a second increase inside 10 years, nothing is being done to reform a woefully inefficient system. Hence, if I understand his article correctly, unjustifiable cost is being dumped on the backs of consumers.
Add this to increasing energy costs, gasolene etc, the possibility of higher electricity rates in 2009 and the almost certainty of higher telephone rates when the Price Cap freeze which some of us worked hard on, ends at year-end, with an expected four per cent hike in January 2010 and we have a picture which is grim for the ordinary consumer and small business person.
What formula and empirical analysis were used to arise at another burden of water rates?
When last has a public, audited account been made available which could reveal inefficencies which even staff of the Barbados Water Authority acknowledge?

Hallam Hope
caritel@hallamhope.com

FTC and inadequate time Part 2

Well I tried.
I wrote the Fair Trading Commission this week and protested against what I considered to be inadequate time for prospective Intervenors in the electricity rate hearing to apply for status and at the same time require that interrogatories be submitted along with the details about why they should be granted such status.
I reminded the FTC that the application was 700-plus pages and it was unlikely that prospective Intervenors would have had time to assemble experts, study the case and formalise pertinent questions in the time allowed.
The FTC responded in a letter signed by its acting General Legal Counsel by citing various items of legislation under which it operates but did not respond to the substantive points raised that included the advantage provided to the applicant and disadvantage to prospective Intervenor. It said it wanted to get an understanding of the areas of the application that persons were most concerned about. And it stated that further interrogatories could be submitted. It noted that persons have been given six weeks to submit their letters of intervention.
But there was no response to my argument that the time was inadequate. How does the FTC expect that within six weeks persons would have studied the 700-plus pages along with their experts in engineering, economics and chartered accountancy and come up with an indication of areas they "are most concerned about" unless they are given adequate time. I indicated that I was aware of an organisation that had started early but had not had time to identify experts to study the 700-plus pages - even at this time.
I have also made this complaint in other matters before the Commission. But one does not need to be told that you are butting your head against a stone wall.
I however have a hard head so I will keep butting.

Hallam Hope
caritel@hallamhope.com
(246) 822-1414

FTC offers Inadequate time for consumers

There were two disturbing developments recently where the question may be raised about the consideration the Fair Trading Commission has for consumers.
CARITEL, my private consultancy, is taking part in the Reference Interconnect Offer (see earlier posts for background). We were given one week to sudy various documents in detail, conduct additional research and prepare and send a follow-up submission to the FTC as it relates to new arguments.
We protested as we did in the first submission that this was inadequate and a month was requested. A RIO is a highly granular proceeding, requiring regional and international research as well as correspondence with contacts such as regulators elsewhere. The issues are quite wide and therefore require considerable time to investigate and respond to arguments, in this case made by Cable & Wireless. Cable & Wireless has an entire department and regional staff to deal with such matters.
Well, the FTC said you have another week in an email sent minutes before the close of business Friday, the deadline for the actual follow-up submission. I had written the Commission the Wednesday since time was needed to read the documents from Cable & Wireless (LIME), Digicel, TeleBarbados and Blue Communications and study the implications.
Another matter of even greater concern has to do with the rate application by the electricity company.
If one reads the advertisement from the FTC reminding consumers that they have until June 25th to indicate a desire to be granted Intervenor status, of concern is Section 2. which states "Any written questions (interrogatories) and the supporting documentation must be included in the letter of intevention.
The key word here is "must".
This is both unprecedented, places undue burden on consumers interested in applying for Intervenor status, provides the applicant with an unfair advantage and runs contrary to a fair and reasonable process.
In the previous rate hearing, the application dealt with an application for Intervenorn status and nothing else. Subsequently, the matter of interrogatories was raised.
The rate application is 700-plus pages and is available only on a website or at the offices of the FTC and applicant for reading only. There is no provision for a hard copy to be made available to any interested party so one could study it at one's leisure.
And it is also an extremely detailed matter. How can one possibly assemble a team, study in detail the 700-plus pages and have a chance of offering a thorough set of questions (interogatories)?
Again, the FTC is being extremely unreasonable to consumers.

Hallam Hope
(246) 822-1414
caritel@hallamhope.com

Reference Interconnect Offer and consumers

A Reference Interconnection Offer might not mean a whole lot to many people but it can have a significant impact on new services and the extent to which there is competition in communications.
LIME is at the centre of a RIO consultation and a series of documents on services such as overseas calling. Companies have to interconnect so that customers of one company may communicate with those of another, for example Digicel, TeleBarbados, LIME and Blue Communications, which is offering a competitive long distance card to make calls.
In addition, the new charges could also relate to new services, since they also involve interconnection and payments between these companies to terminate calls.
Essentially, LIME is trying to get the best deal for itself while other parties want to ensure that the decisions taken by the Fair Trading Commission do not disadvantage them financially and their ability to compete and offer better rates where possible.
In March the FTC received submissions in response to LIME’s proposals from my business consultancy, CARITEL, TeleBarbados, Digicel and Blue Communications.
Well, on Friday we all received what was submitted by the parties as well as the responses of LIME.
A public consultation will be held on June 19th when only these parties will have a chance to re-iterate their positions, provide any additional information on the issues raised or raise new related issues.
In the case of the latter the Commission has given all parties until June 5th, a day over one week, to provide a written summary and submit to all parties.
Now if this isn’t highly unreasonable I don’t know what is.
We are expected in our case with limited resources to read all the documents, do research and respond by then.
But this is how the Fair Trading Commission goes about its business while refusing to provide a lot of basic information when it is requested to do so.

Hallam Hope
caritel@hallamhope.com
(246) 822-1414