Dear Editor,

With regards to a letter in your newspaper dated Friday, June 6, 2008 on page 7 and captioned `Incompetence and flexibility at GPL’, I want to add my quota.

I attended a meeting at the Ocean View Hotel which was sponsored by the PUC because the Parliament Buildings was under repairs. I represented the Consumers Movement of Guyana. On the agenda GPL was calling on would-be consumers to pay the arrears of the previous consumer before the new consumer was connected.

The matter was dealt with and the Chairman noted that GPL must collect money from consumers in arrears and don’t call on the would-be consumers to pay for the former consumers.

Apparently, some people and no doubt all are unaware of the ruling. May I suggest that they enquire from the PUC?

On the other hand, Editor, when a consumer applies for a service he/she has to make a deposit, now, if the errant consumer fails to pay for electricity consumed, then GPL could deduct any amount from the deposit.

If the deposit is not enough, then, GPL could freeze the deposit as well as take the errant consumer to court but GPL must not demand the new consumer pay the errant consumer’s bill.

Yours faithfully,
Wilfred Eleazar
Consumer Advocate