(Jamaica Gleaner) Supreme Court Judge Bryan Sykes has ruled that the monopoly power distribution license granted to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is not valid.
In his ruling handed down a short while ago, Justice Sykes said the minister does not have the power to grant a license on terms which prevent other applicants from having their applications being considered genuine.
The judge also said the minister does not have the power to grant a license upon terms that bar the possibility of any other person entering the market for the transmission of electricity.
As a result, the judge says the terms of the JPS license granting it exclusive right to transmit electricity is not valid.
However, the judge says the minister has the authority to grant a license to an operator to supply power to the entire island.
The group Citizens United for the Reduction of the cost of Electricity had
brought a class action challenging the monopoly license granted to the JPS.
