Photos and interviews by Oliceia Simon-Tinnie and David Papannah
This week we asked the man/ woman in the street about the blackouts that have been occurring.
Shania Bancroft
`I am highly frustrated with the recent blackouts. I’m affected by the blackout at work and at home and in both cases it’s not pleasant. While at work the place is very hot and the customers have a hard time moving around the stores and looking for products. While I’m at home my appliances get damaged, the other day my cable box and my fridge were damaged. Another thing is that when the power goes off it’s off for a long period of time or it fluctuates and that’s very frustrating”.
Sam Ajouri- Owner of America Home and Beauty Center Inc.
`The customers come into the store and they are sweaty. Employees can’t even talk to the customers because they are frustrated with the heat. The electricity is not stable just today, every five minutes the light was on and off. This fluctuation causes damage to the generators too. When the voltage comes back, it comes back very high and it damages a lot of our appliances, several of our air condition units aren’t working now because of the constant fluctuation. On the day of our grand opening there was no light, the generator wasn’t working and we couldn’t even open the store. People were standing outside frustrated with us. The very next day we had to work without the ac and not much of us could function. Not everyone can afford a generator so something really needs to be done. Some customers complain and think that we’re just not putting on the AC but it has nothing to do with us. Something has to be done to correct the issue.’
Deirdre Sacha
`The frequency of the blackouts we have been experiencing lately is, without a doubt, exasperating. Especially when blackouts occur three to six times in one day, along with the constant low voltage events. Not only do your appliances begin to malfunction, in some cases, there is no salvaging them and at whose cost? Frequent blackouts and low-voltage events also hinder work progress, especially for people like me who most times, work from home. It truly is quite a frustrating situation to be in and to some extent, overwhelming, and in all honesty, I’m not sure how they intend to fix it. I am quite unclear as to what is the true reason behind these events and speaking to the representatives of GPL is never helpful. But since I am also no professional along these lines, I cannot suggest what should be done to resolve the matter.’
Anecia Cort
`The long hours of blackout make my life uncomfortable. When there is a blackout I can’t get to iron my clothes for work nor other chores. Almost everybody house has electrical appliances so when the current goes you really can’t do anything. Another thing is that the current, when it returns it is not stable and you can’t get to use the appliances.’
Sahaquawn Gill
`The various blackouts that have been occurring for the past few weeks have taken a major toll on our lives. This is mainly because blackout usually causes the water to cut off thus making the daily routine a hectic event because water has to be fetched into the house and distributed among persons in the home. I hope GPL can get themselves together so that we can have an understanding of why these blackouts are happening and we can have pleasurable current for the remainder of our lives.’
Dwain Bowen
`To be honest, it’s hardly been inconveniencing me except for the fact that every time the lights go out, I’m doing my work and well I need light to do such. As inconveniencing as it may be there’s nothing I can do about it and don’t think the company should do anything. What I think needs to happen is that GPL needs some competition. That’s the only way I see progress coming. When one company has such a monopoly, they tend to get comfortable and complacent. That’s all.’
Thummim Paul
`The blackouts have really affected us terribly. Whenever there was a blackout it lasted for hours and not only that, we only get water when there is current so when there was a blackout there was no water. There were times that we couldn’t have completed chores. In addition to this I couldn’t get to study because the blackouts were often in the nights. Every year around this time we get long hours of blackout and I don’t understand why.’
Carol Dorant
`I fed up with the whole country man. Saturday we get blackout whole day. I try not to bother with it. But sometimes we have to fashion our life with whatever come, it’s just that. So we can’t do nothing. They need to upgrade but if you tell them, it don’t make sense because is the same six and four you getting. You ending up back to square one.’
Davenand Persaud
`You getting blackout like when you getting the fairy light and it damaging your things them like your fridge, TV, microwave and everything. GPL need to put more thing in place, they need to get more workmen and let them do what they have to do because people losing items. The other day I lose a fridge because of the blackout. I can’t get back nothing! I paid $50,000 for my fridge. I don’t have time with GPL they don’t make sense. When your things damage they don’t even give you back nothing.’
Michael Dundas
`From blackout start it affecting us bad and we’re getting it steady. Almost every night we getting it. Night time we can’t do nothing, can’t even watch a little TV, just have to go to bed. GPL need to get the situation under control because it’s getting worse every day.’
