Consumers and electricity rates

Well, the first step to a rate application by Barbados Light & Power and the prospect of higher electricity rates for consumers has begun.
It takes the form of an application by the company for a change in the way its accounts are prepared for rate hearings and a determination of depreciation rates which would be used in any application.
Given that this initial application has been made at the start of the year and will reportedly last four days it is very conceivable that a rate application will be made afterwards and any possible rate increases become effective in 2009.
This application process comes in a year when life for the consumer is expected to become worst rather than better.
At the time of writing this post BANGO was the only known Intervenor (not even the Office of Public Counsel) has taken an active role in this matter. Olson Robertson, one of the Intervenors in recent hearings, was reportedly making an effort to obtain Intervenor status.
BARCRO's principal spokesperson Malcolm Gibbes-Taitt has reportedly indicated a desire to see the Fair Trading Commission address the issue of remuneration for Intervenors dealt with in a clear and transparent manner.
Against BANGO is pitted the legal might of Sir Henry Forde. The five-member commission is headed by Sir Neville Nicholls, a former president of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
The Fair Trading Commission has come under public and private criticism in recent years by some Intervenors over the way it has conducted its business.
Consumers with expertise in engineering and corporate accountancy are advised to support BANGO (Barbados Association of Non-Governmental Organisations) with their time in the interest of mounting an effective response to the application by the Barbados Light & Power Co. Ltd.

WHEN WILL STARCOM IMPROVE ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THIS AREA

How much longer must we the listeners to VOB put up with what is really a very high level of poor customer service ....................

I am referring to the malfunctioning telephone system on the daily call in programmes...Brasstacks and Tell it like it is.

Whose fault is it..Is it Cable and Wireless? If the fault lies with Cable and Wireless , why has VOB not demanded better service ?

If the problem is with the VOB studios , why have the station's engineers not been able to fix it?
It has been over three years that the moderator is often heard begging the caller "to speak up" or the caller is trying to explain to the moderator that he/she is not hearing.
The result of this terrible service is sometimes a very poor attempt at a conversation between the moderator and caller.

As a matter of fact, sometimes the moderator has the gall to suggest to the caller that he/she is not listening and there is a deliberate moving on to the next caller.

Its really very untidy broadcasting and unfortunately just another example of the Barbados consumer's ability to "put up with anything" for a very long time.

Can we as consumers not insists that the radio station get this technical problem sorted immediately?