GT&T says it has undertaken a comprehensive review of an incident in which one of its employees was electrocuted and says it will continue to work with stakeholders to further review practices.
Vijai Gaznabbi, 26, was electrocuted on Monday at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara as he worked alone.
Gaznabbi of Lot 33 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, came into contact with a live wire, while conducting his work on a utility pole. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was rushed.
On Wednesday, the Guyana Postal and Telecommunication Workers’ Union (GPTWU) issued a statement pillorying GT&T over several issues related to the case including that Gaznabbi was working alone at the time. GT&T did not respond directly to that criticism yesterday.
In a statement, GT&T said it remains saddened at the death and has been playing an active role in giving support to Gaznabbi’s family and loved ones during this period.
It expressed concern at several inaccuracies in the GPTWU release, the timing of which it viewed as opportunistic.
It said that GT&T places maximum priority on Labour Relations and Occupational Safety and Health.
The GPTWU statement had charged that GT&T has developed the practice of promoting technicians to engineers, “busting the union” and leaving a void within the supervisory level of management, “since those persons promoted are doing the same jobs as Network Technicians 1 and 2 and there remains no effective supervision.”
Furthermore, GPTWU had noted that the position taken by GT&T, “continues to create inefficiency and numerous breaches as it relates to working conditions.”
In response GT&T said “We posit that contrary to the GPTWU’s thinking, it is the expectation of every employee to be afforded the opportunity for promotion in any work situation. To equate the justified promotion of staff as `Union Busting’ is in itself tantamount to the Union’s question of the merit of its memberships’ ability for upward professional mobility.
“Promotion of staff in no way affects or diminishes the level of supervision offered to our workforce. As a matter of fact, there are tiers of supervision which goes right up to the level of the Executive”.
GT&T also said that technicians are provided with assistance from contracted labourers based on the assessment of the assignment and/or their request.
Further, GT&T said that staff are all provided with safety gear relevant to their area of work and are implored on its use on their every assignment on a routine basis.
“The company has undertaken a comprehensive review of the incident and will continue to work constructively with the Union and other relevant bodies to further review our practices, protocols which will result in more rigid enforcement of all procedures including Safety best practices”, GT&T added.
The GPTWU had also charged that accidents continue to happen as “Technicians continue to work singly –driving, fetching ladders, going into junction box, climbing electric poles, stairs and buildings, without any assistance.”