200 Delegates Expected for Caribbean Utility Regulators Conference

More than 200 delegates from 20 countries are expected in the island for the 14th annual Organization of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR) conference, which takes place at the Secrets Resort and Spa in Montego Bay from October 26 to 28.

Chairman of the organising committee of OOCUR, Albert Gordon, said approximately 150 persons have already registered for the three-day event, which will be held under the theme ‘REGULATIONS: Creating a spectrum of opportunities in the Caribbean’.

He was addressing a media briefing at the Wexford Hotel in Montego Bay on Tuesday (October 18).

Mr. Gordon, who is also the Executive Director of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), informed that conference participants will be exposed to best practices in utilities regulation and planning.

He said that developments and new trends in various sectors will also be looked at with a view to adapting applicable ones to suit their respective countries.

“We will look at the compliance with relevant environmental standards to make sure that developments are sustainable, that the utilities services are not degrading the environment as they go along. You will hear a lot about clean energy, and the conference is going to be speaking a lot about these things,” Mr. Gordon noted further.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of OOCUR, David Geddes, said among the speakers at OOCUR 2016 will be Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness; Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang; and Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Dr. Andrew Wheatley.

He said that more than 100 regulators, utility company representatives including chief executive officers, and members of academia will be in attendance.

“We have approximately 30 presenters, including university professors… many renowned economists and engineers,” he informed. OOCUR was founded in 2002 following a meeting of Caribbean utilities regulators in St. Ann, where an agreement was signed.

Membership in OOCUR is open to utilities regulatory agencies in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the areas of information and communication, technology, spectrum management, electricity, natural gas, water and sewage, telecommunications and transport.

This is the third time that Jamaica will be hosting the conference.