Port Kaituma residents are now once again receiving a daily power supply, following an intervention by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.
Richard Allen, a Board Member of the Port Kaituma Power Company, also said that residents are now receiving the first 15 Kilowatt hour (Kwh) of electricity supplied to them at no cost, in keeping with a policy recently outlined by Hinds to the National Assembly.
Allen explained that earlier this week the power company’s large generator stopped working because the company ran short of needed filters. As a result, a smaller generator was utilised in its place, which saw some communities experiencing prolonged blackouts daily. The periodic blackouts were scheduled to prevent the overuse of the smaller generator.
Allen said the filters for the large generator later arrived in Port Kaituma on March 4, but the serviceman at the power station was still unable to have the generator in working order. Allen said he subsequently decided to call Hinds, who gave him the go ahead to call contractor Krishna David, who is contracted to service the power company’s generators.
He said David fixed the generators and they were up and running with electricity supply restored around 8pm on March 5. The serviceman attached to the power company was present to witness the operation and Allen hoped he can effectively solve mechanical problems at the power company should they arise in the future.
According to Allen, power supplied by the power station has to be reliable, especially since residents with generators who once sold electricity to fellow residents were instructed not to do so.
He added that because of the poor power supply in the past, the Port Kaituma business community suffered a lot of losses.
“I have taken an oath in the Parliament of Guyana and though I am not a voting MP, I am a servant of the people and therefore I will continue to serve. I would like to thank the PM for his help and support whenever I engaged him in matters of the people. The residents are very happy to have power back,” Allen said.
He also said he has recommendations gathered from mechanics to put forward that will assure the effectiveness of the company. He said the recommendations will also benefit power companies outside of the region.
Meanwhile, Allen reported that a 15 KWh deduction was reflected in February’s electricity bill which residents got on Wednesday.
Hinds recently revealed to the National Assembly that Port Kaituma was among communities that receive the first 15 KWh of electricity free. Allen challenged this claim, and Hinds subsequently said that he would have looked into the situation.
Chairperson of the power company Margaret Lambert had said last Tuesday that the concession was meant to be given to residents in November 2011, when the power company was handed over by the government and not meant to be perpetual.
Allen, however, took issue with her claim and said “the PM never said that and also when the leeway was given in the month of November, it was given to a selected few.”
