Dear Editor,
I share two experiences of how unacceptable the standards and service are at the Guyana Water Inc (GWI).
The first problem was reported in late August; the procedures were followed. The word was that the matter would be addressed within three business days. Nothing happened, nobody turned up; I fixed the matter using private resources. The second problem was reported to GWI on Monday of this week; there came the promise of the company standard to fix within three working days. Again, there was no movement on the part of the GWI; absolutely nothing. Once again, I had to fix the issue using my own resources.
After the first incident I heard from the Sanitation Manager, and later the PRO, that there is a) a scarcity of resources; and b) an overwhelming workload. I also received apologies. I understand and empathize with the circumstances, and recommended that instead of committing to the public that matters will be addressed and resolved within three working days, the standard should be temporarily set at five working days. I shared that it is poor practice to offer a timeframe that quite possibly is observed largely in the breach, and that it is better to manage the public’s expectations through committing to something that is doable, and then do it. I think that this three working days promise is impractical, if not deliberately misleading. I so assert and attest.
There are some other concerning aspects of my two experiences with GWI. In the absence of Mr Timothy Austin, PRO, I reached out to his deputy on the first problem. There was never a response, the courtesy of a conversation. On Wednesday evening of this week, I contacted Mr Austin himself on the second issue, who did say he would be in touch. I am still waiting. Companies and Public Relations departments are known to voice displeasure at long-suffering citizens ventilating issues in the press; the complaint is that they were not afforded the opportunity to examine and solve matters. Well, GWI was extended such personal courtesy twice, and in both instances the requisite professional courtesy was noticeably missing. Thus, I submit that, on every front and in both situations, GWI failed at service standards, problem resolution, paying customer’s concerns and, when presented with the opportunity, to remediate in any fashion. Clearly, this is not only unacceptable, but deplorable and speaks volumes about what citizens are subjected to in this country.
My last recommendations are simple and straightforward; they involve this matter of “scarce resources.” I suggest to President Ramotar, Commander-in-Chief, man-of-the people, saviour of the suffering, and friend of the afflicted that he consider implementing the following curative actions. Get rid of all those half-a-million a month advisers who are patently useless; get rid of that million-a-month information assault from where nothing emanates, in effect an antique political decoration; get rid of PR departments who are there to perfume dirty stories; and get rid of those costly people (male and female) whose only duties and purposes are to destabilize taxpayers and slam doors in the face of citizens seeking redress. Next, take the tens of millions of dollars saved monthly and hire plumbing people, electrical people, telephone people, garbage collection people, and people who do real work in real time. I repeat employ people who do real work that citizens really need; hire people who earn their daily bread.
In the meantime, I wait to see what GWI has to say, if anything, on my experiences. I do not believe that I am an isolated case.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
