THE EDITOR, Sir:MR. FRANCIS recently wrote a letter urging citizens to make more use of the OUR. To that I respond that this requires that the OUR be of some use. As it stands, the OUR is nothing but an institution set up by the Government to abdicate responsibility to the electorate. Lacking power to penalise wayward utility companies such as the JPSCo, and lacking power to compel action on the part of these companies, the OUR is of dubious value. What the OUR does is that it allows the Government to wash its hands of all troublesome matters while erecting a smokescreen that they are taking action. In that way, the Government has effectively allied itself with the utility companies, leaving consumers to fend for themselves entirely.
Mr. Francis wrote, "It is insulting to say the OUR does not care for consumer issues when consumers do not follow the procedures necessary to resolve their complaints." What he perhaps overlooks is that a disregard for the interests of the consumer is apparent in the very procedures that the OUR requires of customers filing complaints.
For example, my parents, who usually receive a monthly bill in the $2,000-$3,000 range, were suddenly billed some $52,000. When they consulted the OUR, they were told to pay the bill first and then try to resolve the matter. However, this is a blatant bias in favour of the JPSCo, as it in essence forces the Jamaican consumer, most of whom are of very modest means, to pay ridiculous sums to the power company regardless of how outrageous, unfounded and patently unjust the bill is. Thus the OUR does not in any way protect the consumer from being left in the dark. All it might do is allow a consumer who can afford to pay the extortionary sums a partial refund.
It might be insulting to say the OUR is useless, Mr. Francis, but all too often, it is also true.
I am, etc.,
K. WALTERS
kawalters@gmail.com
Via Go-Jamaica
