 Well, hello and welcome to Issues and Answers, live on the National Television Network, NTN. We are here today from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labor to focus on an issue which, if left unchecked, can shock the entire nation. My name is Shannon LeBorn, the Communications Officer at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labor. Electrical safety is our topic for discussion and my guest, Mr. Shane Jha, the Acting Chief Electrical Engineer. Mr. Jha, thanks for joining us today on the program. Hello, good morning. Thank you very much, Mr. LeBorn. First of all, we want to discuss the roles and functions of your department, the electrical department of the ministry. So tell us what is the mandate of your team and what is it that you do? Okay. First of all, I'm going to start by explaining to you what exactly is the electrical department. The electrical department basically forms part of the Ministry of Infrastructure. We basically have two offices, the main one being at Union castries and we also have an auxiliary office at the infrastructure building in Vufort, that's in Latuni. The electrical department basically is headed by the Chief Electrical Engineer, deputized, who is in turn deputized by the electrical engineer. We have a reception staff and also an inspection staff. What is it that the electrical engineer, the electrical department does? The electrical department basically has four functions and basically has, among other things, right, four functions. And I'm going to elaborate on all four of them briefly. First of all, we issue new licenses to electricians, to individuals that want to become electricians. So basically that is usually done via an exam that is issued every day. Secondly, when you see there is a structural fire or a fatal electrical accident, like the one we recently had at La Cleary, right? The electrical department is supposed to investigate these incidents. Thirdly, we issue basically, we're the ones that deal basically with the street lighting program. So basically when somebody wants street lighting, they come to us, we put their names down and after that we carry out our investigations and then these lights are issued. And fourthly and possibly what you can be considered most importantly, we carry out electrical inspections, testing and certification of new, existing and temporary installations. Right. I think that the last point is maybe what drives the most business to your department, not what drives the most citizens' interest to the work of your department. That function of obtaining an electrical connection, citizens have to go through your office. Share with us what is that procedure like. Okay. You see, when someone is starting the construction process, and a lot of people do not know that, but as soon as they are about to start the construction process, we should be informed. Right. That is usually done via what is called from D, from new installations and from C for existing installations that they are gridding. Right. So therefore that's the first thing that is done. And that is, so therefore the client or whether it is the stick holder, right, will hire the electrician and that electrician must be certified. That is very important. There are lots of electricians out there, right, but the electrician has to be certified. So therefore that person will have an ID saying that they are an electrician and they have a number. Right. If they have doubts, obviously they can call the electrical department and we can verify that for them. And after that from D, right, the person goes along, then the installation is basically constructed. Things, wires and so on. Sorry. Wires are installed, fixtures are installed, right. And then at the end of that process, right, that is assuming that it's not a very long fees, right. If it's a construction, if it's a facility like a hotel or something like that, that takes a very long period of time, right. What we do periodically, usually every two weeks or every month, right, we go, we visit the site to see if everything is growing according to plan, right. Then, right, at the end of the installation process, the electrician will now apply to us. They apply it to us and within a period of, they paid one of the fees that are required, right. And within a period of, let's say five days, right, the inspectors go to that installation, they carry out the inspections, they test in, right. We collect the results, we return to the office, we analyze it, we do the necessary recording, right. And then the certificate, the final certificate is drawn up and afterwards that is signed by the chief electrical engineer, right. So therefore the entire process basically takes about eight days. A number of steps is the aim ready to ensure safety at the end of the day. The key there is ensuring safety, right, that's the key, right. As a matter of fact, that's the whole purpose of the electrical department. Ensuring that facilities out there, electrical installations out there are safe. And I need to repeat something. It doesn't matter if it, that should be for new installations and existing installations that are being upgraded. Right, right. I'm sure we'll discuss that in further detail shortly. But you spoke about the inspectors who are attached to your department. Who are they, how can persons identify that these are legitimate officers of the department? And what are some of the daily operations of those team members? Okay. The electrical inspectors, the electrical inspectors can easily be identified because they carry an ID. So therefore when they reach whatever installation it is, the client, the installation owner, right, can ask to see that ID. Right. What it is that they do, usually they go to the installation, they go to the installation, right. And the first thing that they do, they carry out what is called a visual inspection. A visual inspection basically will entail, right, ensuring that there is a ground outside. That is, that different fixtures are not broken, right. Basically ensuring that the installation is complete. That is what they call the inspection fees. Okay. Afterwards, right, they're going to do what is called testing. Now the testing phase involves, right, the use of the equipment that they carry around, right, in that little yellow box, right. And they will usually carry out most of the inspections from the electrical panel, right. They carry out what they call installation readings to ensure that all wires during the installation process, they're still intact, right. Also, they carry out what is called continuity readings to ensure that this cable leaving this point on the panel is truly as the design sees, right, going to that point, right. And also what they do, they also ensure that the necessary, how can I describe that, electrical breakers, right. They are over the correct reading, right. Right. Up to standard. Up to standard, yeah. Absolutely. It's definitely an expert operation, expert task, the work of those electrical inspectors and definitely the work of the electrical department. We hear from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labor. We focus in on electrical safety and the operations of the electrical department. We're due for our very first break on issues and answers live on the National Television Network. We'll be back in a moment. Pamela, I noticed that you built your retaining wall on my property. You'll have to give me my land back or compensate me for that. My contractor isn't dumb. I trust that he will not build anything on your property. Where is your proof? Let's go to court. This situation does not require you to go to court. Looks like we have to go through mediation here. Mediation is a way people resolve conflicts like this. Someone, a third party, comes to speak to both parties. This person is called the mediator. The mediator is impartial. He or she makes sure that communication between both parties is effective and efficient. So, the mediator is a judge? No, the mediator is not a judge. Mediators, unlike judges, do not decide cases or impose settlements. Let me get a mediator to handle this retaining wall and that kitchen. Kitchen? Yes. Your kitchen also falls on my land. Let me call the mediator. Welcome back to the program. On the first segment, we gave you an introduction to the rules and functions of the electrical department. The key priority, as explained by the acting chief electrical engineer, Mr. Sheen, is to ensure safety throughout the Lenten berth of St. Lucia. Electrical inspection and permits for mass crowd events. Another very important function of your team. We headed into the carnival season where we have many mass crowd events and I'm sure you want to alert members of the public and promote us in particular that they have to follow what is enshrined in law and get electrical inspections and permits for those events. First of all, why is this important? Absolutely. And I'm especially coming into the carnival and jazz season. We know for a fact that we are going to have a lot of mass crowd events. Usually these are going to involve open field events where stands are going to be installed. But as with any event like that, they are going to be electrical equipment because obviously the loudspeakers have to be powered up. A lot of these events are held at night. So therefore you require some level of illumination which involves obviously the installation of lighting, the means of switching obviously and some occasions you have vendors that are selling stuff. So therefore they require power to, whether it is to warm up the food so that they can sell and so on and so forth. Now what has happened in the past? In the past it continues to happen up until today that stakeholders, what they will basically do, an events host, what basically they will do, they will simply hire an electrician. These installations are going to be constructed and afterwards, because they do not require a new connection from the new select, they will not come up to us. Because you see what they usually do, because the energy, the electricity that will power up these events are already existing. Basically it's almost like an extension. They basically take the power from an existing facility and power up the event. Now this is not just illegal, it is also unsafe. Because what procedure they are supposed to follow? The electrician or whoever is constructing these, putting up these points for these mass events, first of all they are supposed to construct them and then they are supposed to follow the correct procedure which involves applying to us and then we send out our team there, our electrical inspection team, we go out there, we do the necessary inspections and ensure that it is safe which is basically what we should all be concerned about and then which we are supposed to issue a certificate to them and all this is supposed to happen before the show starts, before. Right. You almost opened a can of worms and it's maybe important that we are here today to put the information out there so people know what the procedure is and know what they should do so we don't find ourselves in a situation where we have a mass crowd fatality. Absolutely. And let me elaborate on something. This is particularly important because you see in some occasions some of these mass crowd events are close to water and some of the procedures that, for example, some of the points, some of the fixtures that are normally installed do not meet that standard at all. So therefore it's all these things that we are there to verify. What is the legislative backing that you have to deal with this issue? You see, the electrical department basically, we don't just go out there and carry out inspections, right? We do it by law. We get our mandate, basically our legal mandate comes from what is called the Electricity Supply Act and the Electricity Supply Act basically you can describe it as that part of the legislation that deals with generation and transmission and distribution of electrical energy. Right, so there is a law. There is a law, absolutely. There is a law. This is the first step to sensitize people you have the legal backing but heading forward I'm sure you will really be going out there and I'm sure you inspect those events and enforce the law. Absolutely, we have to. I'm going to assume that on many occasions these things happen because people are not away. And therefore this program we are having right now it is very important in informing the public as to what they have to do, right? Some of the papers, the certificates that they are supposed to have worked in when they are going to have an event like this, of this nature. Absolutely and we look forward to the support of the event promoters and even patrons to ensure that the various procedures are followed so that the people at the bars coming into the venue and at these shows are safe throughout the duration. As we conclude the discussion we just wanted to focus quickly on illegal extensions of established connections. You have a number of domestic and even commercial enterprises looking to extend on existing connections. Absolutely. And there is a procedure where we can support them. This is like the illegal extension of electrical energy into mass power defense, right? This also happens with existing structures also. For example, let's take for instance that, I don't know if you recall earlier when I mentioned that one of our functions basically is to test and inspect not only new installations but upgrades to existing installations. So what will happen on most occasions that because the electricity is there already and they do not require a new certificate so that Lucille gives them a connection out of stakeholders or clients, what they will basically do to hide an electrician and extend on an existing structure. Now, a lot of things can happen, right? And I'm going to explain why it is important to bring the Ministry of Infrastructure and the electrical department into play when something like that happens. You see on some occasions, simply by extending existing installations, right? You've changed a lot of things, right? You've increased on the mood. And let's say for instance on some occasions the mood panel is not changed or the main breaker, the main isolate is not changed or some other breakers are not changed. So basically what you've done is to add more load, basically. But the origin, where the electrical energy is coming from, the breakers and so on that has not been changed at all, you see? So therefore that is the reason and automatically this solution will become unsafe. So though it was safe initially, now that it has been upgraded or tampered with, right? It has now become unsafe, right? So it's for all these reasons that the electrical department has to become involved when existing structures have been upgraded. Absolutely. Mr. Shea and I want to thank you for first of all accepting our invitation to be here on this program and secondly for giving off all that valuable information to members of the public who we now believe are more educated on the various procedures that they should follow. These issues I'm sure you would agree can shock the entire country if left unchecked. We do not want to leave them unchecked. This is why we have begun the discussion and we are here today on issues and answers live on the National Television Network. My guest today was Mr. Shea and Jean, the acting chief electrical engineer in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labor. This was just the first peek into the work of the electrical department. We will be sure to catch up again and discuss exactly what has been done by Mr. Shea and his team to ensure safety procedures and allow for safety throughout the length and breadth of St. Lucian to avoid electrical mishaps. My name is Jean and I'm on behalf of the entire team of the National Television Network. Thank you so much for joining us.