The Ministry of Energy says a move by the government to limit or restrict the private inspectors who carry out inspection and certification of properties, to receive electricity, should not be the government’s first response.

This, after the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), called on the government to regulate the cost of the mandatory inspections.

JPS said it was shocked at the recent spike in the cost of the inspection, with the privatization of the process.

In a release today, the energy ministry said there needs to be an appreciation that a private electrical inspector operates in a market.

It said the inspector has to bear the cost for public liability insurance, transportation, communication, and administrative expenses which must be factored in the costs to the consumer.

The ministry noted that establishing a fees schedule is just one option that is available to the government, which is usually frowned upon by businesses operating in a free market enterprise, as the JPS itself may very well appreciate.

It said while it takes note of the concerns expressed, it is doing its own due diligence and is prepared to act to address any negative impact that may come from the implementation of aspects of the electricity act

The energy ministry explained that in the prior regime, inspection fees were calculated based on the 1991 fees schedule and varied based on the items installed.

The inspection fees included fees such as $127.00 for a simple dwelling house and $16,340.00 for a medium-sized industrial factory.

The ministry explained that these figures represented a significant subsidy that would have been enjoyed by householders, businesses, developers, and the JPS.

The new regime does not include a schedule of fees thereby relying on the market to determine the cost of inspections.

Since November 1, 2021, some twenty-nine private electrical inspectors have fully met the requirements to carry out inspections.

An additional ten is reportedly seeking to secure public liability insurance to satisfy the requirements under the regulations.

The ministry is re-issuing the call for private electrical inspectors in an effort to increase the pool that is available to the people of Jamaica in an effort to reduce prices.

In addition, the ministry is encouraging customers to shop around and negotiate their rates.