GPL claimed I had tampered with my meter and back billed me for a year

Dear Editor,

I leave home at Mc Doom at 05.30 hrs to go to work (I am living alone) and return around 18:00 to 190:0hrs. I take off all appliances 12 hours per day since my wife died three years ago.

My cousin told me that two young men from GPL came to check the meter and left.

I know it is normal for meter reading but when I received my monthly bill, I found that I was billed for a huge amount. I asked for time off and went to the main office. I met a female employee who told me that a check was made and found two different readings and a report was made that my meter had been bypassed and they back-charged me for one year in the sum of $149,767. My average monthly bill is $12,500. She said I have to rewire and they will replace the meter and I have to pay 1/3 of what is owing then sign a contract until the amount is paid as well as pay my normal bill every month.

Mr Editor, at no time was any wire, meter or equipment removed by me from my home. I don’t know how they arrived at this conclusion. Another villager told me that they had to give those men $20,000.

I wrote to Minister Robert Persaud and Ms Eileen Cox from the Guyana Consumers Association but don’t know if they received same to date. Poor people don’t have anybody to look into their affairs. I paid $46,000 + $10,000 = $56,000. I had to pawn my wedding ring to come up with this amount, for what?

Yours faithfully,

B Ramkishore