Dear Editor,
To date, there has been nearly one hundred hours of blackout across East and West Berbice. And the hours seem to keep climbing every single day with no relief in sight. The power crisis is now in its most dire stage as Berbicians have been experiencing up to ten hours blackout every single day with Corentyne and West Berbice being the most hard- hit areas. Today (Thursday, October 16, 2008) alone, East Canje had a good eleven-hour blackout from just after 8 am straight through the day to 5 pm. It went off again at 7 pm and returned at around 9 pm. I don’t think we ever experienced such a lengthy generation shortfall problem with the Guyana Power & Light Inc (GPL). I ask the question on everyone’s minds: just what the hell is going on?!
Georgetown is experiencing something of a similar nature as well, with dozens of areas highlighted every single day in the daily newspapers to receive blackouts and numerous blackout charts.
I have written numerous letters over the years about blackouts. Others have done so as well. The media has shown concern over this plague as well but today, October 2008, power blackouts are still a part of our Guyanese culture.
No one is really coming forward to give us the information we need as to what the problem is at GPL. GPL has stated that the Mirlees Blackstone engine is undergoing overhaul and maintenance and has to be taken out of operation every day from 6 am to 6 pm. Ok, we understand that, but what accounts for the blackouts that happen in the nighttime periods? Where are the Caterpillar Sets? Are they online? The Mirlees is at Canefield Power Station, so are there other problems at Onverwagt Power Station and #53 Village Sub- Station? Are all these stations experiencing problems at the same time? And last but not least, where does the Skeldon Sugar Factory play into all of this? I don’t even think I want to know. Because Berbicians have been told a number of times that Skeldon is the answer to our power problems but anyone can tell gullible Berbicians anything—they were just lies, damned lies!
Berbice is taking off, yes; indeed, we are taking off in the dark.
We are promised a reliable supply of power for every Christmas season as if to say that we don’t deserve the reliable supply during the rest of the year. This is pure nonsense! GPL is supposed to bring reliable supply of power to customers all year round. We are not concerned about your failing generating sets and generation shortfalls. You were mandated with the purpose of providing reliable and affordable supply of electricity to Guyanese and you have done no better than your former self, the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC). How long more, Editor? How long more must Berbicians and other Guyanese fashion their lives to be in sync with this reality of blackouts. How long more must Guyanese be bored to death in their homes night after night with nothing to do, no TV to watch, no computer & internet, no radio, no lights?! How long more must Guyanese businesses suffer each day after thousands and possibly millions of dollars in losses due to the blackouts? How long more must our children study with kerosene lamps?
Our hard-working president had to inspect the Demerara Harbour Bridge himself. He had to be the one to notice that it was going to the dogs. He had to be the one to order works to be done on the structure. What a shame!
I would like comrade president to come to Berbice to inspect the Canje River Bridge and to visit the Canefield Power Station as well as the others. There seems to be no other solution. I bet that things will start to happen once this happens.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
The post independent administrations know nothing about managing Guyana. They are all dunces and this is what the leaders wanted after independence, destroy, since they are totally ignorant about building anything.
You ask some impossible-to-answer questions, Leon:
How long…?
When will…?
The sad fact is that, as you righlty noted, “…blackouts are still a part of our Guyanese culture.” I was about less than half your age when blackouts were instituted as part of our culture. I am now almost twice your age and still…
Blackouts have remained constant. :-(
As Mr Luummumba (office of the President adviser) said some while back country people don’t need light.
They are just fooling people,the electricity situation is in big trouble,I don’t know when the Skeldon sugar factor would start generating electricity,at Christmas time they would give Berbicians as much light as possible,hard working president,yeah right,your hard working president only sees what he wants to see and hear what he wants to hear.Try tell him your ideas of how to improve the country and see if he listens.
Guyanese would prefer to immigrate for better conditions of living rather than demand those values from Guyanese politicians.
The people of Guyana have a doan care attitude, even though their attitudes will eventually affect their lives.
The lack of a maintanance program is lacking in all departments-that is why things doan work after a while-kokers, generating plants, stop lights, streets. Should I go on.
The caring attitude has to start from the TOP. Then the BOTTOM will see the example that the TOP set and will follow.
Well well well GPL top dogs in G/T to be in Berbice later today (saturday) for press conference….we ain’t want conferences….we dont want more talk talk talk….seems that’s all these people can do…
Well, it’s blackout in Rose Hall Town again at 2:45 pm. What Leon calls the top dogs are really the middle dogs. You got to go for theTOP TOP dogs. Leon
THE TOP DOGS WOULD HAVE A FOREIGN PASSPORT, A GENSET AND TRAVEL ALLOWANCE FOR TRIPS ABROAD TO DE-STRESS from having nothing to do on their high profile positions in GT.
I suggest rather than skipping abroad, they go camping in one of dem villages without electricity.
hahah ya’ll mekin laff joke outta dis ting now….its 7:31 pm current just come on ..we had blackout since 3pm today sat. ..currently as far as i know..the entire Region 5 and 6 has blackout since around 8am today…..we here in Cumberland have electricity
Cyd I totally agree with your blog on them camping out, put them some where in Berbice with no toilet, bathroom and no food if possible. As another blogger said that the office of the president said that Berbicans do not need light, are you serious ? If that is true, they got the GUTS to tell the people that, they do not need light. I wish and hope that Guyana can make a change for the ” BETTER ”
My family in Guyana is paying between $10,000.00-$15,000.00 per month for electricty and they are having so much blackout, when ever my Mom go into the GPL to find out about her bill she is told by those RUDE EMPLOYEES you used that amount and you have to pay it. A few months ago tthree police showed up at her home and told her that they heard that she was stealing light so she told them I do not have to do that because my children are abroad and they are maintaining me, so they asked to see her last bill of which was presented and said that they want to check her connectiuon in the yard, only to see that THREE houses on that street were stealing light from my mother’s house.
Make sure Mr. Jadgeo that the citizens get better electricity connections and NOOOOOOOO
MOREEEEEEEEEEEE BLACKOUTTTTTTTTTTTTT for heaven do some good for the people before you leave office or should I say show that you care for your fellow human beings. If it is not one thing its another, how much more can they take in Guyana ? If they start rioting people are going to say that is wrong and bad so what should the people do ? Guyana is a failure to itself and I mean that .
I know the feeling of gloom and doom that sets in when the b/out comes on ,, especially if it’s during the night ,, when the petty thieves ,, the heat,,f the tide is ebbing ,, the mosquitoes ,, and the incessant barking of the rabid mangy mongrels ,, that r by the thousands ,, all over GY ,, that find only the streets to defecate !….. i tried to cope on may of my visits to my beloved GUYANA sometimes three times a year ,, for me vacation is not allowed ,, it’s more like stacation ! the culprits of the collapse !,,,the leader being the head honcho ,, includes the likes of greenspan ,, no less !,,,, but that is neither herenor there ,, cos ,, the sitting govt ,, should know where the people’s priority was ,, it was what they had to endure like the rest of us ,, from the illegal govt ,, for all those burnham blackout years ,, so their first order of repair ,, should have been the repair / renewal of roads,, water,, light ,, health ,, and education ,, while attacking corruption ,, at all levels ,, thus ensuring order from chaos !
every thing abt the PPP govt seems myopic ,, and what becomes more mystifying
is their continued ,, inability to see that it is all based on destabilisation ,, can’t the President see what is going on around him ,, what a mourning it would have been — God forbid — if anything was to happen to commuters on the DHB !,,,,,
it has never been considered prudent to allow a shoe maker to do a plumbers job ,, a basket weaver would hardly know anything abt suturing an incision ,, much less amputation of a gangrenous leg !,,,, so by extension it is difficult to attract the best brains ,, who would “manage” with educated skills,, the services
required for progressive economic development for all of the poeple of GUYANA ! ……
Well said, especially your last paragraph….my sentiments exactly. Jagdeo micro manages and does not seem able to multi-task. Then given all his hand picked square pegs in round Ministries and utilities, we have the ingredients of a ticking bomb.
It seems no one can expend huge sums of money, appoint persons or make certain decisions without his ok. This creates two scenarios, each equally destructive 1] those in charge see what needs to be done but have to wait on his Lordship to sanction before anything can get started.
2] they see it know about it, but do nothing [because of pt 1] until it becomes a public outrage. In both cases who gets the glory and praise for being “hard working” ….well you guessed correctly.
Thats one of the reason there is no policy, long term plans and solutions to our many problems , those with the brains have left,over 100,000 in NY alone, cannot work under such conditions.For those who choose to remain or have no where to go, it’s a bread and butter issue.