Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 27, 2014 News
…demand apology from GPL CEO for offending remarks
By Zena Henry
Barticians are furious over the constant, prolonged periods of blackout. They say that those in charge are not concerned about the hardships the people continue to face. The residents blasted the government for its lack of forward thinking.
They are convinced that no thought was put into the rapid growth of the community and the added pressure being placed on the electricity facilities.
Barticians have called for an intervention, particularly, the provision of new machines to provide electricity to the whole of the community and the necessary training of technicians and other staff to efficiently manage the electricity facility.
They are also demanding an apology from the Guyana Power and Light‘s (GPL) Chief Executive Officer Bharat Dindyal, who they claimed disrespected Bartica and its residents during his visit last Friday.
Yesterday the residents were taking advantage of the power being supplied for most of the day. Just the previous day the generators had collapsed, plunging the entire community into darkness for almost 12 hours.
But before nightfall Bartica was back in darkness, the generator had failed. This happened even as the residents were preparing for the summer regatta festivities which were scheduled to commence last evening.
But business owners are crying the loudest. Small shop owners, supermarket operators, restaurants, guest houses etc. are just some of the affected lot in Bartica.
“We have to be throwing out the meat because it spoiling. It freezing and de-frost and freeze again. No one is buying the drinks because they are not cold,” Tracy, a grocery shop operator said.
She explained that she has been unable to order items such as meat for the last month because of the blackouts. Her business hours had to be cut short.
Ava Abrahams who operates the Upper Level Restaurant and Bar told Kaieteur News that the blackout is a result of poor planning on the part of the electricity company. She said that the authorities are explaining that the machines are unable to handle the load while the technical people cannot adequately deal with the problem.
She has purchased a generator which consumes about $10,000 worth of gas daily. This generator, she said, has to be taken to and from her home on a daily basis. Abrahams said she would have to be shifting her refrigerated items to where the current was available.
Kamal Persaud, a clothing and cosmetics distributor explained that she operates in the community market but her business is suffering since she has to not only deal with illegal roadside vendors, but also must be out of the market before nightfall.
“The blackout only makes it worse.” She told the paper of having to lay off two of her six-member staff. The illegal vendors prevent persons from entering the market, now the blackout causes us to close shop early, she fumed.
Persaud and many other residents were vocal in their call for an apology from GPL’s CEO whom they alleged told Barticians that they do not like to work, and all they want to do is drive boat and mine.
Persaud said despite light bills going up; blackout or not, Dindyal claimed that the money collected from the community cannot pay for the electricity provided. But residents are not convinced.
Persaud said no business would continue to operate at a deficit and Bartica is a booming community which the government neglected.
Bartica’s Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, said that the community has expanded and the GPL generators are too old. They frequently breakdown. Currently, one engine is operating and according to GPL personnel there is no room for expanding the facility.
Previously, it was decided that a location would be sought for support machinery but residents objected to the area chosen for environmental reasons. They demanded new equipment since the support machinery was only for a period.
Electricity failure seems to be an epidemic across the country with mining areas such as Mahdia among others, still complaining for energy.
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