A key conference on Energy concerns throughout the region was snubbed by 2 Cabinet Ministers from Barbados – Commerce Minister: Sen. Haynesley Benn and Energy Minister: Sen. D’Arcy Boyce. Both members of the Upper Chamber should have been present at such a key gathering of Energy officials looking at streamlining the process of assessing and billing costs to produce power for Caribbean peoples to use.

The Caribbean Development Bank held a special convocation at their Conference HQ in Wildey today, among those present was a large cadre from Barbados Light & Power as well as St Lucia’s Minister of Energy, Science & Technology.

Dodging questions from the Media and in specific from Bajan Reporter was Peter Williams, Managing Director of BL & P. Mr Williams, when queried on if there are plans to regulate fees on providing energy as to if Barbadians would benefit, did not commit himself to the concern posed.

Further, when Williams was asked about St Lucy residents’ concerns of noises from Wind Turbines proposed to be built in the North, all the Director would indicate is Town & Country Planning gave permission for the area to be developed and BL & P awaited finalisation of sales of tracts of land from residents to BL & P for using the property to implement devices which have created concern in most areas where such devices exist.

Utility executives and regulators, along with Ministers of Government with responsibility for the utility sector from across the Caribbean, met in Barbados to discuss best practices in utility regulation with a view to developing a collaborative roadmap to guide the issue in regional jurisdictions.

The 2nd CARILEC Forum gathered in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and The World Bank. The Forum is hosted by the Caribbean Electric Utility Service Corporation (CARILEC), the association of electric utilities, suppliers, manufactures and other stakeholders operating in the electricity industry in the Caribbean.

Why were two key members of Barbados’ Cabinet not present? Their names were on the list of those  expected to attend, yet not even a Permanent Secretary nor other representatives listed in lieu thereof? Only the Fair Trading Commission and I am not sure if I saw their delegate either! Hate to think the Ministers dodged the conference  because Bajan Reporter attended?

James Fletcher – St Lucia’s Minister of Energy, Science & Technology made sure to attend, he even fielded some tough questioning from CBC TV8’s Shane Sealy on Kerosene prices based on an objection from Castries’ Opposition Leader, Stephenson King.

Light & Power made sure to represent, if not Barbados, then their company as well as counterparts from Anguilla, Dominica, St. Lucia, Jamaica, St Vincent, Grenada, Montserrat, Nevis, Trinidad, and Turks & Caicos.

The first CARILEC Regulatory Forum focused on the sharing of regulatory experiences in Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Trinidad & Tobago.

Participants studied the regulation of utilities and application of best practices to the development of a regulatory system for utilities for the OECS, what now obtains is when the findings will be released and how they benefit the regional consumer in this Double-Dip recession.