A prolonged power outage last week left hapless Lethem residents in the dark and calling for the intervention of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
At 2:20 pm last Tuesday power was cut and when this newspaper visited the Lethem Power Company offices later that night, the Manageress said she was instructed by the Executive Director, John Fredericks that she “must not say anything to anybody”. On Wednesday, the engineer, Sylvarius Perry said that the “winding coil’ was burnt and a replacement was due on Thursday.
He said that the smaller power plant would be put into operation by 3 pm that day as soon as he was able to modify the circuit breaker.
That engine was last operational four months ago. Electricity was eventually restored shortly after 11 pm on a staggered basis. One area was given five hours of electricity, while another area was given ten hours of electricity. Perry advised that consumers turn off all appliances during a prolonged power outage and wait five minutes after power is restored to put on their appliances, and that must be done one at a time. Full power was restored on Friday after the engine was repaired.
Residents who spoke with this newspaper expressed disgust, with one man saying that the LPC management treats them as if “we is beggars”. Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council in Lethem, Terrence Boston said he was not surprised at the recent developments.
In giving a historical perspective of the issue, he pointed out that the Board of Directors of the LPC includes a member of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and a member of the Rupununi Livestock Producers Association, which is also a member of the RCCI; hence technically, RCCI has two representatives on the Board. The Board also has a sports representative.
Boston questioned the criteria used to select the members since there is no consumer representative.
Meantime, residents are calling for the PUC’s intervention, saying they are being taken advantage of. They complained that while consumers on coastal Guyana are given as much as 90 days to pay a current bill, they are required to pay their bills promptly every month. Several residents also pointed out that the LPC does not accept part-payment. They also said that the office staff is generally discourteous and should be trained to deal with stressful situations.
This newspaper was told that when the power is off; in Culvert City, the area is without water, since Guyana Water Inc. does not have a working standby engine to power the pumps.
Meanwhile, residents also pointed out that the Moco-Moco Hydroelectricity Station, or what is left of it, continues to lie in thick bushes and has been vandalized. They noted that when a section of the conduit pipes were washed away by rain, nothing was wrong with the turbines. They questioned why the government allowed such an expensive venture to go to waste like that. “That woulda be we salvation” one resident quipped.
Boston suggested that the government vigorously pursue the possibility of sourcing electricity from the Guri Dam in Venezuela. Currently, Brazil purchases power from the Dam and the lights on the Takutu Bridge are powered from electricity supplied by the Guri.
