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GPL runs short of wallaba posts
GPL’s CEO Bharrat Dindyal
– suppliers want more money
The country’s power company says it is short of some 11,000 wallaba poles as suppliers demand more money.
Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), Bharrat Dindyal yesterday admitted that current maintenance and project works are behind schedule.
On Monday, GPL met with four suppliers of the wallaba poles which have been in use for decades to carry transmission lines.
“We met with the suppliers on Monday…four suppliers… and they are all asking for significant increases.”
According to Dindyal, GPL has several critical projects for the Central Housing and Planning Authority, to power a number of new schemes.
However, citing increasing fuel costs and longer hauling distances, the suppliers are calling for more money.
Currently, for housing schemes, GPL is sorely in need of around 6,000 of the poles.
Another 5,000 has been earmarked for critical maintenance works.
“We have the resources (logs) there (in the forests). But suppliers are looking for some serious increases.”
The GPL official noted that suppliers complained that reserves of the wallaba trees closer to the coast have been depleted, forcing harvesting to be further inland.
Suppliers have also been citing increased fuel costs and a shortage of labour. Many loggers, attracted by high prices of gold, have turned to mining.
Wallaba is the preferred choice for the power and phone companies because of its peculiarity of standing up to the elements and lasting for years.
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