Dear Editor,
Emblazoned on the front page of Kaieteur News of January 28, 2009, was a photo of GPL’s meters on lamp posts.
These meters are about 25 feet from the ground and may not be read vertically, or double that distance to enable reading diagonally. I suppose that meter readers will be equipped with mini-binoculars or some other gadget to read these post-mounted meters or just guess a reading for which consumers will be charged, without the consumers having the benefit of verifying the accuracy of the meter reading and, therefore, their billing.
In my ongoing battle with GPL, which estimates my consumption for 10 months in the year, GPL claims that its meter readers cannot read my meter which is 10 feet away from my gate and very visible. I went so far as to suggest that GPL arm its meter readers with some telescopic gadget to aid them in their work. As is normal, GPL never responded and my consumption continues to be estimated well above actual consumption.
How do we know that the meter on the lamp post does not already have a reading? As happened in my case, GPL put a meter with 1059 units already on it, gave me a letter acknowledging that fact, then charged me for the 1059 units (document enclosed).
If GPL cannot access reading 10 feet away horizontally, would they be able to read at a distance of 25 or 30 feet? The public needs to be advised. Or is this another GPL scam? (See Freddie Kissoon’s contribution in Kaieteur News January 26, 2009)
Yours faithfully,
Taajnauth Jadunauth
