Three persons are expected to appear in court next week over the theft of a US$30,000 Guyana Power and Light (GPL) transformer found at the city’s newest mall, GPL Managing Director Bharrat Dindyal revealed yesterday.
Ganesh Ramlall, owner of the Regent Multiplex was held by police after the transformer was found at the complex last week. He was later released on $100,000 bail as were two others.
Dindyal, who received an update from the police on their investigations late yesterday afternoon, told Stabroek News that police have provided him with the names of three persons employed with the company who are involved. He said while the police may charge those persons, GPL will now launch an investigation based on the information provided by the police with the aim of dismissing the employees. He cautioned that there is a collective labour agreement that has to be followed when dismissing persons and the power company intends to follow it.
According to Dindyal while the information provided by the police did not indicate that the employees were involved in the stealing of the transformers, it revealed that they were involved in the “modification” of the transformers so as to disguise them. He said that he was happy with the report he received from the police and he was hoping that the investigation puts an end to the scam. He said that from all indications it is one group that is involved in the racket.
Dindyal also said that the police have also revealed that they have information on the location of a second transformer, similar to the one recovered from the mall, and investigators are working on recovering it.
The transformer was one of the five discovered stolen last December after a Campbellville businessman took three small transformers to be tested by GPL. It was then discovered that they were actually the property of the power company. The three had been sprayed over.
GPL then contacted the police as it was the only way the businessman could have been questioned about how he came into possession of the transformers.
The company had done an audit last October and all the transformers of that type it had in stock were said to be intact. But following the discovery, the company rechecked its stock and found that two heavy duty generators had also been stolen and information received led to the transformer being found installed at the new mall.
Dindyal explained that the transformers were among those the company had on standby to assist in the operation of the pumps during the flooding as back in 2005 during the Great Flood transformers were needed and the company had none. Dindyal said the transformers were part of a “contingency plan” and he said he hoped that whatever actions are taken by the police would send a strong message to those who are involved in the theft, selling and buying of stolen transformers.
The new mall, located at the junction of Wellington and Regent streets, was opened in December last year. When Stabroek News visited the mall on Sunday, it was evident that a large hole had been gouged in one of the concrete walls so that the transformer could be removed; workmen were preparing to move it. GPL employees were waiting with a vehicle to retrieve the transformer, while a mason was on hand to reseal the wall.
A visit to the mall during this week revealed that it was being powered by a generator and it was business as usual with all the stores open.
