19 August 2020
NOTICE OF DISCONTIUANCE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE CONSUMER PROTECTION (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) issues this Notice of Discontinuance in exercise of its powers pursuant to section 4(2)(e) of the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority, 2009 (URCA Act).
On 14 February 2020, URCA published the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations Consultation Document – URCA 01/2020 (“the Consultation Document”) for public consultation that proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection Regulations – ECS 19/2013. The Consultation Document proposed consolidated consumer protection regulations for the Electronic Communications Sector (ECS) and the Electricity Sector (ES). URCA invited written comments and submissions from members of the public, licensees and interested parties on the issues contained in the Consultation Document to be submitted to URCA by 29 May 2020. At the close of this period, URCA received comments and submissions from the following Respondents:
- Cable Bahamas Ltd. (CBL);
- Be Aliv Limited (Aliv);
- The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd. (BTC); and
- The Bahamas Power and Light Company Limited. (BPL).
Pursuant to section 9(1)(b) of the URCA Act, URCA is required to give due consideration to comments by members of the public, licensees and interested parties prior to introducing any regulatory measure of public significance. All Respondents to the Consultation Document objected to the consolidation of consumer protection regulations for the ECS and ES and provided what URCA considers to be cogent reasoning in support of such objections.
Having regard to the comments and submissions from the Respondents to the Consultation Document, URCA hereby notifies the public that it has discontinued the public consultation on the said Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations.
URCA advises the public that during the fourth quarter of 2020 (Q4 2020), URCA will issue a standalone Consumer Protection Regulation document that sets out proposed regulations specific to the Electricity Sector for public consultation.
URCA thanks those who provided comments and submissions to the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations Consultation Document – URCA 01/2020 and encourages future participation in the consultation process in relation to the Consumer Protection Regulations for the Electricity Sector.
URCA further advises the public that the Consumer Protection Regulations – ECS 19/2013 remains in force until such time as URCA advises the public that it has been repealed or replaced.
19 August 2020