Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson says the recent removal of street lamps from some sections of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, was part of a move to regularise connections to the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) network in the area.
Patterson told Stabroek News that the responsibility for the street lamps is that of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). However, Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal said the RDC does not budget for street lamps, which he maintained are the responsibility of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
Patterson noted that GPL’s officials met with the Region Five Regional Executive Officer (REO) and his engineer in August to determine the contractual agreement for the lamps, which were connected to GPL’s poles and network in the area. The REO confirmed his responsibility for 11 of 263 street lamps installed and said the remainder was the responsibility of the residents, Patterson added.
According to Patterson, GPL has suffered significant losses over the illegal connection of lamps and he noted that there were no records to prove the claim of some residents that they had of GPL’s approval to install the lamps.
Nevertheless, the minister noted that a 30-day stay on the removal of the lamps was granted by GPL’s Interim CEO, based on a request by residents, and during that time 51 of them established contracts with GPL for power for the street lamps. After the expiration of the stay, Patterson said GPL proceeded to remove the lamps, which were deemed illegal or for which there was no contractual agreement with GPL.
The lamps which were removed, he added, are being stored at GPL’s bond in New Amsterdam and will be returned to residents with the presentation of a receipt of purchase.
While GPL remains aware of the need for street lights, Patterson said it will only accommodate a request for the supply of power to lamps within the bounds of a contractual agreement as provided for in the amended Third Schedule to Electricity Sector Reform Act (ESRA).
He said that a recommendation was made for residents to purchase energy saving lamps, which will result in lower charges but he noted that many residents did not comply.
According to him, the monthly charge for a 65 watt street light is approximately $1, 266, a 120 watt will see a charge of $2, 434. That charge would have been shared by the homes benefiting from the service and in many instances would include about four homes.
It was noted that in response to an increase in the crime rate, the ESRA was amended in October of 2010 to accommodate residents desirous of street lights. Regulation 4 of the Third Schedule to the ESRA was amended to accommodate consumers desirous of a supply of electricity for street or security lighting.
Ramphal said since the lamps were removed there has been an upsurge of crimes in the community owing to darkened areas that had been previously lit. “For the last twelve days, there were about eight robberies, one of which was committed directly where a lamp was removed,” Ramphal said.
Ramphal added that he is calling on the Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan to urgently address the security of residents of the community.
Residents had staged a protest about two weeks ago after several street lamps were removed from the community.
