Region 2 RDC expresses disappointment with GPL’s service

The Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has expressed its disappointment with the Guyana Power and Light’s service to the Region.

Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt said that the RDC was very much disappointed that despite previous pledges by senior management of the power company to use available mediums to inform residents of scheduled outages, this was not being done.
Ramdatt said on Monday that GPL and key stakeholders in the Region had agreed that the company would utilise local media (RCA TV) and cellphone messages to inform residents of power outages, but to date this system has not been put in place.
The Regional Chairman added that the RDC recalled an email from Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, dated July 9, 2017 which stated, ‘“I will ask GPL to provide advance notice on any load-shedding activities; on the long term, a new set for Anna Regina has been procured already, it is expected to be on site by October; however, we have to complete ground works and other infrastructure issues before we can connect it and have it in full service; it is anticipated all to be completed by November.”’
“We are now in April 2018 and the Region is still suffering from constant blackouts which is causing disruption to all GTT landline phones, GWI water flow and Internet service just to name a few,” the RDC said in a statement on Monday.
As such, the RDC said, residents, especially the business community, are calling on the Government and GPL to speed up the process at Anna Regina Power Plant and bring some relief to the Region.
Only last week, Deputy Mayor of the town of Anna Regina, Darshan Persaud expressed his outrage at the service being offered by the power company.
In an interview with Guyana Times, Persaud said residents in the township were complaining about the long periods of power outage, which have contributed to the loss of thousands of dollars in ice cream, chicken, meat, and other frozen foods.
Over the Easter weekend, a generator placed by GPL at the Anna Regina Power Station, Essequibo to supply the Region with electricity was moved to Bartica for the Regatta.
According to reports, the remaining generators cannot supply the coast, and as such, residents were faced with constant blackouts. (Mohanlall Seulall)