“The possibility of any rate increase for the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission in 2025 is not one that can possibly happen.”
This, according to Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales, who said the Regulated Industries Commission’s recommendation to increase electricity rates is still before the Finance and General Purposes Committee in Cabinet.
Speaking on the Delving Deeper Programme on TTT on Sunday evening, the Minister said he doesn’t expect that the Committee would “complete the interrogation” of the report before the end of this year.
“The last I reported on that is that the matter is before the Finance and General Purposes Committee, which is a Sub Committee of the Cabinet. And a week or two weeks ago, I would have, just a week ago, I would have reported in the national media that given the priorities of the FNGP at this point in time, I don’t anticipate that in 2025, the Finance and General Purposes Committee will complete its interrogation of the submission made by the RIC. So it is a matter that is under active consideration.”
In fact, he said it could potentially be a couple of years before any decision is made.
“But for 2025, I don’t know for 2026 what will happen. But the Finance and General Purposes Committee continues to interrogate the submissions made by the RIC and the possibility of any rate increase in 2025 is not one that can possibly happen, given the amount of work that has to be done still.”
Meanwhile, Minister Gonzales said the industrial relations climate in T&TEC has “improved tremendously” following protests by workers in October 2023. It followed an injunction that was granted in mid-December by the Industrial Court, preventing the workers from engaging in the action.
“I am told that the next date for hearing is either in May or June of this year. But on the point of the injunction, it is still in effect, preventing the workers from engaging in unlawful industrial relations activities. And since then, we have seen less disruptions taking place. The levels of absenteeism that we would have seen over a period of time, we’re no longer seeing that and I’m happy to report that the industrial relations climate in T&TEC has improved tremendously.”
Minister Gonzales said he’s been lobbied publicly to get involved in the matter but stated that in the collective bargaining process, there is no room for the Minister of Public Utilities.