Although a number of people have been raising issues in relation to the new FEA tariff structure and the billing system, the fact remains that the public turnout to make submissions to the Commerce Commission is very poor.
Nasinu, which has one of the largest population in the country, only had two people visiting the Commerce Commission's venue for public submissions on the review of the FEA Tariff Rates Phase 2 last night.
The Commission staff was at Rishikul Sanatan College from about 3.30pm to 7pm last night.
With the poor turnout so far, the question will definitely arise whether people are happy with the review and do not mind the increase in the tariffs.
One of the people who did take time out to make a submission to the Commerce Commission last night was Ro Alipate Mataitini.
He stressed that FEA needs to do more awareness campaigns on the current tariff structure.
Mataitini also called on the FEA to speak to the major commercial power consumers in the country and encourage them to produce their own power.
He told the Commerce Commission that the time has also come for FEA to have some competition.
And as the Commerce Commission continues to take oral submissions from the members of the public on the review of the FEA tariff rates, the Fiji Electricity Authority has confirmed that they will be making their submission to the Commission in the next few weeks.
Chief Executive Hasmukh Patel said in their submission they will also be including the amount of money the FEA is spending on diesel generators.
Patel last week revealed that the continuous dry spell has forced them to produce more than 65 percent of electricity by using diesel generators, which costs about $15 million a month.
The Commerce Commission staff is currently at Vunimono High School in Nausori to take submissions from members of the public until 2pm.
From 4pm to 7pm today, they will be at the Suva Civic Centre to take submissions from Suva residents.
Story by: Vijay Narayan/Shalvin Deo
