By Eileen Cox
The Guyana Power & Light Inc wastes no time when it wishes to disconnect a customer but takes its time when a reconnection is to be done. The Guyana Consumers Association recently sent a letter to the company on the subject of unlawful disconnections. The text follows.
“Re: Illegal disconnection of consumers’ power supplies
Almost every month we receive complaints from consumers who have had their power supply wrongly disconnected. We have generally tried to throw oil on troubled waters but on Wednesday 12th February, 2008, we arrived at the end of our tether.
“On that day, the power supply of a senior member of our Committee, Mr Pat Dial’s electricity was disconnected though he had no outstanding balance owing the Corporation. Indeed, Mr Dial generally pays his bill shortly after he receives it. On Wednesday and Thursday, Mr Dial had to prepare briefs for a conference he was attending on 19th February, electricity being necessary for lights and computer.
“On the early morning of Thursday, 14th February, Mr Dial managed to contact by telephone the officers who are in charge of such matters as reconnection and got the impression that reconnection would have been effectuated with immediacy. By 1:30 pm nothing had been done and Mr Dial contacted your Secretary who was helpful in contacting the relevant officers. She explained to Mr Dial that reconnections are usually done after 4:00p.m.
“No reconnection was done on Thursday 14th and on forenoon of Friday 15th February. Mr Dial made frantic efforts with the Corporation and reconnection was made on Friday afternoon.
“We are convinced that this continuous spate of wrongful and indeed illegal, disconnections is due much more to your system rather than persons. Accordingly, two alternatives have been suggested by our members.
“The first is that we should bring this matter of illegal disconnections to the Public Utilities Commission and, if necessary, to the Courts suggesting that the GPL be made to pay the consumer the equivalent of the GPL reconnection fee and also damages for losses suffered as, for example, for the perishable contents of refrigerators.
“The other alternative is for you to put your own house in order. In this process we suggest that:-
“(i) A daily “clearing house” feed-back is established between your accounting system and those of your receiving agents such as the commercial banks and post offices. This would ensure that no payment made to your receiving agents is omitted from your daily accounting.
“
(ii) That your contractors engaged to dis/reconnect services be closely monitored to uncover any corrupt or wrongful acts they may commit in the course of their GPL work.
“(iii) That a reconnection which is remedying a wrongful disconnection be given priority. At present it seems that all reconnections are done after the day’s disconnections. It should be remembered that the longer a wrongful disconnection is allowed to go on, the greater the inconvenience and loss the consumer suffers and the greater will be GPL’s liability.
“(iv) So far, the GPL has never issued any apology or regret to the consumer for wrongful disconnection. An apology may have helped to assuage irritation and sense of damage and may improve the image of the GPL as not being callous to consumer concerns.
“
The first alternative would be to try to have your system properly functioning by the use of sanctions. The second alternative is to try to have your system functioning by means of rectification. At this time, we are suggesting that you try the second alternative which we trust will work.
Yours sincerely,
Eileen Cox, A.A.
Guyana Consumers’ Association”
