User talk:Pixelstudios

Public Utilities Commission Guyana
The Commission is a body corporate established by legislation, and performs regulatory, investigatory, enforcement and such other functions conferred on it by the legislation. This authority was really the requirement identified in the agreement between the Government of Guyana and Atlantic Tele-Network, particulars of which appear in this report. The agreement was to establish an independent statutory authority to regulate the operations of companies or other persons engaged in providing telecommunication services operating in this country, with a view to securing compliance with the relevant laws and to protecting the interests of persons making use of such services, referred to as subscribers. The Authority (Commission) will be empowered to determine questions as to the reasonableness of the rates charged or to be charged by GTT for services rendered by it and the decisions of the authority will be binding on GTT. (Articles 6.7: 6.8 of the Agreement dated 18th June, 1990 refer.) The Government introduced legislation in terms of the agreement and also took the opportunity to legislate for other utilities referred to as the PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION ACT and numbered No. 26 of 1990. This Act applied, with effect from its commencement, to every public utility engaged in (a) providing any service in the production, generation, storage, transmission, sale, delivery, furnishing or supplying electricity directly or indirectly to or for the public, (b) the conveyance or transmission of oral, written, digital or any other form of messages or communications by telephone, wireless telephony, telegraphy, or wireless telegraphy, cable television, telecom service providers, internet and other telecom network service providers, radio common carriers or cellular mobile providers or any other method of transmission offered to the public or offered as common carriage in the future: And, in due course, subject to the policy of the Government of the day, any other service specified by the Minister by order, being any of the following, to wit, Carriage of passengers in motor buses or hire car: Airport and airline services: Carriage of goods for hire or reward by goods vehicle: Lighterage or Cargo handling: Dockage, Wharfage or related cargo services, and Water supply services, except retail deliveries. The Act also provides for the Commission to be a body corporate which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members to be appointed by the Minister from among persons appearing (to the Minister) to be of high character and integrity and to be qualified as having extensive and relevant professional expertise in trade, finance, economics, law, accounting engineering or business management or extensive experience in matters relevant to the functions of the Commission. When the Commission was first constituted the Chairman was appointed for a period of three years, with the other members being appointed on a staggered basis for between one and two years. Any subsequent appointment or re-appointment of the Chairman and members shall be for three years. The appointment on a staggered basis was undoubtedly catered for smooth transition of members to allow for continuity, and for a quorum of at least three members inclusive of the Chairman to be always in place. The first Chairman appointed was Mr. JOSEPH TYNDALL, A.A., C.C.H: followed by Mr. PAMADATH J. MENNON, A.A., then the current Chairman Justice (retd) PREM PERSAUD, C.C.H. Over the years eleven Commissioners were appointed (not collectively), but all on a part-time basis. The Chairmen were all fulltime appointees.