Dear Editor,
GPL came around to check my meter, one Saturday morning: just like that out of the blue after 10 years. I asked them (the workmen) why this was necessary as I have never complained or had any trouble with the meter. They assured me that it was just routine, that they were checking all the meters in the area. When they were finished climbing up, hooking up, reading units and doing other inspections, they left assuring me that my meter was working fine, which I would have assumed naturally.

Some two months later, which is recently, imagine my surprise when I got home from work to find that their workmen had been on my premises and had removed my meter from where it was situated next to the front door and had installed a meter with some PVC piping on the opposite side of my house. All this went on without my knowledge or permission.

I am extremely annoyed to think that anyone feels they have the right to enter my property and carry out work of this nature without my consent.

Since then I have been trying to find out who authorized the meter change and why.  On my first inquiry I was informed that my old meter of ten years was defective that’s why a note was sent to the metering department for it to be changed. I have also been told that the meter belongs to GPL so they have the right to remove it and replace it as they deem fit.  They did agree, however, that no one had a right to go on to my property to carry out work without my permission.

This is what I want to know: if I have a defective meter don’t I have a right to be informed?

If any action is going to be taken in respect of my defective meter, shouldn’t I be told beforehand?

Don’t consumers have a right to know what is about to be done, even if the meter is GPL’s property?

I would like to bring this matter to the attention of the Guyanese public for obvious reasons.

Invasion of privacy and trespassing on my property while I was at work.

Erecting of a meter without my knowledge

No prior notification of their intentions or even a note of what had been done for my information.

There is a thing called protocol that GPL contractors are meant to abide by, whilst dealing with customers. If we don’t stand up for our rights they will continue to behave in this callous manner. Nearly everyone I meet has a ‘GPL story’ but I didn’t, that is until now.

In closing I would like to say what most GPL customers feel when things like this happen, this new meter, the one that is supposed to be 100% accurate, (as apparently my old one was slightly inaccurate e.g. defective) will require me to pay larger bills. While I have no evidence of this yet I also have no evidence that there was anything wrong with my old meter…oh, it wasn’t mine, I just remembered… it belongs to GPL.

Yours faithfully,
(Name and addressed)