EX-99. CERT
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302
OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I, Terry K. Glenn, President of Merrill Lynch Utilities and Communications Fund,
Inc., certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Merrill Lynch Utilities
and Communications Fund, Inc. (the "Fund");
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect
to the period covered by this report; and
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in
net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required
to include a statement of cash flows) of the Fund as of, and for,
the periods presented in this report;
4. The Fund's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 30a-2(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940)
for the Fund and have:
a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
that material information relating to the Fund, including its
consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
within those entities, particularly during the period in which
this report is being prepared;
b) evaluated the effectiveness of the Fund's disclosure controls
and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
date of this report (the "Evaluation Date"); and
c) presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based
on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;
5. The Fund's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
our most recent evaluation, to the Fund's auditors and the audit
committee of the Fund's board of directors (or persons performing
the equivalent functions):
a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect the Fund's
ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
data and have identified for the Fund's auditors any material
weaknesses in internal controls; and
b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a significant role in the Fund's
internal controls; and
6. The Fund's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
controls or in other factors that could significantly affect
internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent
evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
Date: July 23, 2003
/s/ Terry K. Glenn
------------------
Terry K. Glenn,
President of Merrill Lynch Utilities
and Communications Fund, Inc.
EX-99. CERT
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302
OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I, Donald C. Burke, Chief Financial Officer of Merrill Lynch Utilities and
Communications Fund, Inc., certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Merrill Lynch Utilities
and Communications Fund, Inc. (the "Fund");
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect
to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in
net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required
to include a statement of cash flows) of the Fund as of, and for,
the periods presented in this report;
4. The Fund's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 30a-2(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940)
for the Fund and have:
a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
that material information relating to the Fund, including its
consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
within those entities, particularly during the period in which
this report is being prepared;
b) evaluated the effectiveness of the Fund's disclosure controls
and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
date of this report (the "Evaluation Date"); and
c) presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based
on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;
5. The Fund's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
our most recent evaluation, to the Fund's auditors and the audit
committee of the Fund's board of directors (or persons performing
the equivalent functions):
a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect the Fund's
ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial
data and have identified for the Fund's auditors any material
weaknesses in internal controls; and
b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a significant role in the Fund's
internal controls; and
6. The Fund's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
controls or in other factors that could significantly affect
internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent
evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
Date: July 23, 2003
/s/ Donald C. Burke
-------------------
Donald C. Burke,
Chief Financial Officer of
Merrill Lynch Utilities
and Communications Fund, Inc.