Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 11, 2011 News
Amidst a shortage of power poles, authorities were on Thursday considering a proposal that would see suppliers delivering 1,200 logs monthly.
It was only last month that Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL), Bharat Dindyal, admitted that key expansion plans in new housing schemes and maintenance programmes were under threat because of a shortage of the poles.
Suppliers are demanding more money, citing growing expenses and longer travel distances to cut the wallaba trees.
It is estimated that GPL is short by some 11,000 posts.
Recently, officials laying a fibre optic cable from Brazil reportedly complained of the shortages.
Last month GPL met with four major suppliers who were demanding significant increases, according to Dindyal.
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 CEO said last month.
The GPL official noted that suppliers complained that reserves of the wallaba trees closer to the coast have been depleted, forcing harvesting 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.
The proposal for the 1,200 was expected to be considered by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.
While the 1,200 is still way short, it will “move things ahead”, Dindyal disclosed yesterday.
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