Prime Minister Mark Phillips on Saturday assured residents of Lethem that their power rates won’t rise despite spiraling fuel prices but he urged them to pay their bills as many are delinquent.
Phillips held a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer and the board of directors of the Lethem Power Company (LPC) to discuss the company’s financial position.
He then held separate meetings with the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the residents of Lethem, a release from his office said.
“The high cost of living is affecting all of us and that is why the Government has decided that we will not increase electricity. Government will have to intervene and cover those increase in prices of fuel—that is what a responsible Government would do in a situation like this”, he said.
However, the PM lamented that many residents were not paying for the electricity they consume.
He said that while he instructed the power company to keep the lights on, residents must pay their last bill before working on an arrears payment plan for the missed bills.
“In order to keep the lights on, you have to pay the bills. Meet with the management of the Lethem Power Company and work out an arrears payment plan so you can clear your arrears. You have a Government that will continue to be sensitive to all the issues affecting the people in Guyana and a Government that will continue to listen and to work with you to make decisions so that we could continue to move forward and develop Guyana in a way that we could improve the lives and livelihood of the people. We are doing our part as a government and we are appealing to you to do your part. We will not disconnect your electricity; we will not increase the rate you are paying, but my message to you is to pay your current bill”, Phillips said.
Of approximately 1800 consumers that use the service of the LPC, the release said that many are in arrears; both domestic and commercial.
The Prime Minister also utilised Radio Lethem 95.1 FM to address the residents in a special broadcast.
Additionally, he visited a recently constructed one-megawatt solar farm annexed to the Lethem Power Company which is expected to be operational from June of this year.
Chairman of the Lethem Power Com-pany Board, Rodger King; CEO of the Hinterland Electrification Company, Horace Williams and CEO of the Lethem Power Company, Thurston Semple were also present during the PM’s visit.
