Dear Editor,
It would be remiss of me not to offer my comment and disgust at the constant blackouts in Region Two by Guyana Power and Light.
Yesterday, Friday, was quite simply a repeat of Thursday night: a protracted period of blackout (three hours on each day would not be exaggerating the truth). Surely the sublime silence of a Friday was reinforced by such power outage, so that might have been the only advantage of the blackout. Every other outcome was a matter of unnecessary inconvenience: inoperable fans or air conditioning units, the unbearable temperatures indoors, the inability to explore the marvels of a computer and the World Wide Web (for those of us ambitious to surf the one netbook per family wave when it comes crashing), and the general malaise that follows such prolonged blackouts.
Some were rejoicing the end of that bleak Thursday night, only to be offered a repeat performance yesterday.
Do I need to enumerate how a developing region like Essequibo, or any other populated part of Guyana for that matter, will be impacted by a prolonged blackout? On Friday, the end of the work week, at that?
Let me not sound ungrateful for the little advances in power distribution in this country, for I know some rhetorician of a certain ilk will reprimand me for not recalling how worse things were under a previous administration. However, I humbly try to be apolitical while suggesting that in recognition of modernity and development, ordinary citizens should by now at least be able to enjoy a stable power supply.
After all, we have been boasting of our robust economic growth and policies, technological, social and political advances. So from my limited standpoint, I would hope such an expectation does not indulge implacable fantasizing.
I hear my fans whirring; I see lights on; and yes, I am finally able to produce my letter on a computer. I am happy that the machinists, supermarkets and other businesses are alive again, even if it’s at 4 pm. Hopefully tomorrow will bring better fortune.
Thank you for endless blackouts GPL.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
