Region 6 residents protest GWI over poor quality service

Residents of Region Six on Monday launched a picketing exercise outside of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Chesney Regional Office on the Corentyne to express their disgust and dissatisfaction over the quality of service and water they receive together with high bills.

From the picket line they shouted, “We want good water,” as they held placards and marched in front of the utility company’s office.
It was the second successive week that residents have protested outside the GWI’s office. Many of the protestors say that it is impossible for them to utilize water costing in excess of $12,000 in per month. According to several residents attempts to query their bills is met with hostility. One resident told this newspaper that when attempts are made to make queries they are told that the bills must be paid first before any questions will be entertained.
On Monday, Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) Regional Supervisor in Berbice Zamal Hussain, who joined the protest line, said that the PPP has been inundated with the complaints from consumers.
According to him, the party decided to join the protestors and to take a leadership role since it is of the view that the management of the utility company does not care about the ordinary citizens.
“We ask to see the official at GWI to ensure that we have some resolution to these problems. To date that is not forthcoming. We have seen that the disrespect for customers continues because many of them are being forced to pay their bills before they can query them. This is a violation of the rules. I think that you have to query the bills first before you come up with the right payments,” he said.
He explained that residents in east Canje were promised that there will be no increase rates until they start to receive treated water. However, as from the time meters were attached to their service lines it attracted new charges.
“I think this Government is really operating in a dictatorship manner. Even GWI the CEO we cannot see him as yet. He needs to meet with the persons from the different areas,” Hussain said.
Some of the protestors claimed that for four days they have not received potable water. Apart from that, the quality of the water is also a worrying factor.
“We are advocating the GWI respect customers and continue to listen to them,” Hussain added.
Meanwhile, customers from New Amsterdam have expressed concern over the fact that the office in the town does not adequately address queries forcing them to travel miles to have their issues resolved. Residents said that on many occasions the office at New Amsterdam claims that the system is down hence, a query cannot be addressed.
However, they demand that the customer is required to pay the bill as stated or risk disconnection.
One customer from Canefield, East Canje was billed in excess of $16,000 for the month of November 2018 and $4000 for December.
According to that customer, she went to GWI on two occasions to query the bill and on one occasion she was told that it was an estimated bill and on the other she was informed that it was an actual reading.
“They send somebody to come and see if I have any leakage and the person read the meter and try to calculate what my bill should be and up to know they can’t give me a figure,” the woman told this publication.
Meanwhile, efforts by this newspaper for a comment on the issues affecting Berbice to the GWI’s Chesney office was met with hostility.