The Editor, Sir:

It is a fact that utility companies here in Jamaica - cable, water and electric - are regulated by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR). Those entities calculated in their tariff agreement, the cost of collection of revenues with bill payment agencies, authorising them to act as their agents of collection.

Therefore, it is unfair and overburdening to consumers to be charged a payment fee whenever they attempt to pay their utility bills. The method of collection falls under the umbrella or jurisdiction of the OUR, a government agency. It should be illegal, therefore, for those collection agencies to charge any additional fees above what was agreed to in the tariff agreement of the public utility companies.

Another issue of concern is, why an applicant for a UK territory visa should be charged J$1,200 dollars by a travel agency to submit the application in addition to the initial visa application fee? And why an individual who receives money from a money transfer agency should be charged a fee for receiving it, after a payment was made for the initial transfer? Who regulates who? And, are these courses of action some of the effects of a free market economy?

I am, etc.,

CHARLIE BROWN

Charliebrown1004@hotmail.com

Morant Bay, St. Thomas.