The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) was established by an Act of Parliament in 1995 to regulate the operations of utility companies. Operations began in January 1997.
The Director General is the head of the OUR and together with the Deputy Directors General comprise The Office. The Director General is appointed by the Governor General, while the Deputy Directors General are appointed by the Prime Minister. The Office is similar to a board of directors and meets regularly to make decisions on regulatory and administrative matters.
Our Role
The role of the OUR, as an independent Regulator, is often misunderstood, particularly by the largest stakeholder group – consumers. It is a general belief that ?if you are not for me then you are against me!? However, the Regulator has an obligation to be objective and impartial. Our mandate is to provide an avenue of Appeal for consumers who have grievances with the utility companies. Contrary to general belief, the OUR is NOT a consumer advocacy group. The OUR has also been recognized internationally for the pioneering role it has played in the regional development of independent regulation and the liberalization of the telecommunications sector.