Dear Editor,
As a retired staff member of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), I can unequivocally state that the situation Mr. Kian Jabour faces is not an unusual occurrence, and the media circus surrounding it seems disproportionate. GPL has a longstanding practice that when a prepaid meter malfunctions or, as in Mr. Jabour’s case, becomes damaged due to an accident, a report is made to the emergency department. A team is dispatched to investigate the issue. If the meter cannot be fixed immediately, the common procedure is to “straight through” the meter, which is considered a legal bypass, while an order is sent to the Loss Reduction Department. This department is responsible for attempting repairs, and if they fail, a further order is sent to the Metering Department to replace the faulty meter.
It is no secret that for years, GPL has struggled with a lack of 110/220-volt prepaid meters, and this operational challenge continues today. This is a reflection of GPL’s poor management. A few years ago, GPL started a campaign to relocate prepaid meters from poles to consumers’ premises, after a court ruling determined that the company could not hold a consumer liable for theft when the meter is exposed on a pole for anyone to access it .However, this initiative has long since been abandoned.
Mr. Jabour has clarified that the meter in question is registered under his landlord’s name, which was confirmed by the landlord. The discrepancy, if any, should have been addressed by GPL through their internal processes, not turned into a public scandal. Every day, many individuals—including large businesses—are found guilty of electricity theft, some with close ties to the current government, yet none of these cases have garnered the same media attention or political weaponization that Mr. Jabour’s has. This selective treatment reeks of political victimization.
Editor, Mr. Jabour has a right to defend his reputation, and if necessary, he should consider taking legal action against GPL. This situation could harm his business and personal reputation, especially given the selective enforcement and publicization of the issue. The inconsistency in how similar cases are handled should not go unchallenged. Mr. Jabour deserves a fair investigation and should not be used as a scapegoat for GPL’s ongoing operational failures.
Sincerely yours,
(Name and address supplied)
