Dindyal made this disclosure during a media tour of the Kingston Power Plant on Thursday. He said GPL has recorded about 67 areas in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice with Georgetown alone recording 37 areas, where theft is prevalent.
Dindyal was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying that though GPL conducts regular exercises to remove illegal wires, they are soon reinstalled as some persons seem to have “an endless supply” of wire. Dindyal said too businesses “present a special challenge since the company has come to recognise that the businesses which are involved in this activity begin their corruption efforts from the very first contact with the company when they begin applying for the service or when they receive it.”
Dindyal said it is unconscionable that GPL has to face these challenges in order to provide a service to consumers, some of whom have no concern about the issue the challenges it poses to the company to provide power and the enormous risk to lives involved during these activities. He added that even when people are caught stealing electricity there is no shame attached.
The problem of electricity theft has been a constant challenge for the company over the years, GINA said. From 2007 to 2008, 23,000 illegal connections were identified and only 800 persons were taken to court and two imprisoned. Dindyal had previously highlighted the magnitude of this problem when he said the level of electricity theft in Guyana is staggering when compared with the levels in the Caribbean.
