@ROK

Any individual or entity that is on the side of the PEOPLE will get ready support from BU. The pleasure to offer support was ours and we wish you all the best in your future efforts as defenders and advocates of the PEOPLE’s rights.

What this hearing has highlighted is that we have granted a public company a monopoly position, with a guaranteed minimum of 12% return on investment, with no actual liability for corporation tax ….. and still they’re looking for more!

Nice work if you can get it.

Can we have one please?

@Anonymous,
This is what we put forward to the FTC. You would note that our closing submission was targeted at the FTC for failing consumers by their manner of proceeding. Intervenors are taken too lightly. One thing, at the FTC they all put forward an accommodating face, but the fact is that the procedures are killing us. Even Sir Henry lamented the fact that there was not more time between the end of the evidence and the closing submissions; less than 24 hrs.

@ST,
As it turns out, the guaranteed minimum which is cited for C&W at 12% on capital investment does not apply to BL&P. It was removed after the fuel adjustment clause was introduced to their rate calculation. We realised this when Stephen Worme, after reading BU raised it with me and said he never heard of it. It was Olson Robertson who was able to confirm that it was removed.

@David,
Well, Sunbeach had complained that they had applied for use of the electric poles and were denied. I am not sure who else but probably Blue Communications may have applied.

We know that only BL&P, C&W and TeleBarbados are using the BL&P network. Mark Clarke, the BL&P engineer testified on the witness stand that these are the only three which are using the network and that he had no knowledge of an application of for use of the grid. He explained that what he got was a query and not a request for use. I think we omitted to ask him what was his response.

You are correct in saying that if permissions to other service providers are denied that it will cause an imbalance in the competition. We are seeing the BL&P plant as a national resource.

We cannot say that we are opening our doors to competition and then have the requirements for competition screwed down. That would be against the spirit of competition. In any case, it is the consumers that they are recovering the costs of the poles from, including conduits, etc. and it would not be right to have this resource sitting there and then ask consumers to pay another company to set down the same resources, adding problems to capital works and effectively placing hurdles in the way of competition.

Furthermore, in order to save the poles from being bored with too may holes, the electric company can employ the use of brackets to hold lines from providers. In these cases holes may not even have to be bored; the brackets can be a strap-on type. Either provide them or let the service providers acquire their own strapping brackets. The latter may be easier and less burden on the BL&P.

The other problem is the fibre optics, which if Telebarbados is not using now, will certainly be using in the very near future. We cannot have a case where a sister company is using BL&P resources free of cost or for a nominal fee, to make their millions. Indeed the rates which will be fixed for BL&P will have in an amount which consumers have to pay for these assets. It would give TeleBarbados an unfair advantage and disadvantage consumers; only adding to their already heavy burdens.

Thanks ROK. Is TeleBarbados using BL&P’s pole distribution for their wireless data network?

@David et al. Please forgive me for this — I’m still in “high-bandwidth” mode.

I would not nominally ever answer a question directed to another. However, in this case, I feel I must.

@David: “Is TeleBarbados using BL&P’s pole distribution for their wireless data network?

While BANGO can answer this question, we prefer not to publicly. We prefer to find ourselves with the Company answering such questions.

However, we *will* say:

1. From Mr. Best’s answers to Commissioner Brathwaite’s questions, TeleBarbados uses at the very least the “tower” at BL&P Garrison for RF radiation.

2. Anyone with an understanding of telecommunications and/or electrical distribution systems could infer the answer with a high degree of certainty with only a little empirical investigation.

(IMHO.)

@David: “…maybe you need to switch to dial-up for awhile:-)

My girl friend would certainly like that… 😎

(She’s an angle — I must thank her. I don’t know how she puts up with me.)

Sorry: 25th Fbruary 2009