Telecommunications services provider, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) says that over the last two weeks, its installations have come under increasing attacks from persons, either intent on causing maximum disruption to services, or simply, theft.
Over 1500 customers have experienced and/or continuing to be victims of these acts, the company said in a press statement. “The current situation has resulted in the Company’s resources being stretched, hence customers will be faced with a lengthy wait for remedial works to be undertaken”, said the company.
It reported that a man is currently in police custody after he was found with a length of 300 pair cable. The 1500 customers who have been affected include those residing in South Ruimveldt Gardens (first phase) where 100, 200 and 400 Pair cables were stolen on July, 21, 22, and 30; Laing Avenue where 200 Pair and 100 Pair cables (July 24 and 29/30) were removed; North East La Penitence where 200-pair cable (July 30/31) were stolen; and Middle Road/Castello Housing Scheme where 600 Pair cable (same location twice in one week) on July 22 and 27 were taken.
The other locations include Houston on the East Bank Demerara where 200 and 300 pair cable on (July 21 and 27) were stolen; Vieira Housing Scheme, Houston where 25 pair cable (July 30/31) were removed and; Postal & Stevedore Housing Scheme where a 400 pair cable was removed on July 27.
Even as acts of vandalism/sabotage continue unabated, customers in the East Bank Demerara communities of Farm/Herstelling, Prospect, Covent Garden and Little Diamond Squatting Area are also feeling the effects of service outage, GTT said. “In their case this is a result of damage to a 3000 pair cable by a contracting firm undertaking works along the EBD road shoulder”, it added. The statement said that these customers are likely to be out of service beyond the normally stipulated timelines due to limitations of both a human and material nature. “GTT has repeatedly been soliciting the cooperation of residents, businesses, the law enforcement agency including community policing groups in helping to protect the facilities we provide for their comfort and security”, said the statement.
The company urged its inconvenienced customers to be understanding in the face of the increasing acts of vandalism and sabotage and called on those in these and other communities, to be vigilant and guard against similar attacks on the Company’s line plant.
