Frequent power outages over the past few days, sometimes as often as six times a day, have been affecting citizens in sections of the city, the lower East Coast and East Bank Demerara.

Efforts to obtain a comment from officials at the Guyana Power and Light Inc on this problem have proved futile.

Last Monday, residents of Industry, East Coast Demerara told this newspaper that the power outages had resulted in families experiencing nervous moments, since some of the fires which have occurred within the past few months have been preceded by power outages. A fire suspected to have been electrical in origin had razed the Lot 5 First Street, Industry home of Gangapersaud Bachan the day before. Neighbours recalled that there had been two power outages prior to the fire, the second of which lasted for more than three hours.

Businessmen who operate businesses along Regent Street have also complained about the power outages which have been affecting their operations. They told this newspaper last week that the blackouts have damaged some of their appliances. Some said the noise created by the generators at their stores has not been inviting to customers.

A contributor to the letter columns of this newspaper wrote on Wednesday that the blackouts have been sporadic, occurring at irregular intervals. The contributor asked whether the power company had given thought to consumers’ appliances and noted that it would be better to have one continuous power outage, no matter the length of time, rather than six short blackouts.