Dear Editor,

The Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) meter reading and billing system was audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) after overwhelming complaints about inconsistency and the results were published in February 2007.

PricewaterhouseCoopers made several recommendations to improve the system in keeping with international best practices. I am not aware of any implementation of these recommendations, which are serious and far-reaching.

However, we are now about to engage in another investigation of the JPS, this time by the Office of Utilities Regulation which itself is facing questions about its monitoring of the utility company. In fact, that should represent a major part of any investigation.

At the very least an attempt should be made to get PWC back into JPS to see whether the recommendations contained in its 2007 report have been implemented, and prevent the cost of going over the same grounds that have been covered before.

Carlton Stewart

Stewart.carlton@gmail.com