Preposterous that GPL cannot provide pre-paid meter

Dear Editor,

More than three years ago I received a mail from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) stating that they will improve my experience as a customer and give me the benefit of monitoring my power usage and avoid disconnection by transitioning all post-paid meters to pre-paid meters. It is most unfortunate that a year or so after that promise I went to GPL to apply for the pre-paid meter only to be informed that there were no pre-paid meters available and I had to add my name to a waiting list. I added my name to the list and the response by GPL to every subsequent inquiry I made remained the same “we are out of meters” or “first time customers are given preference for prepaid meters”. Even in monopoly people do better with the utility company!

Editor, are we to believe that a company with such a significant role in the lives of the Guyanese people cannot forecast the demand for this new product and have adequate supplies available. It is preposterous that this company complains of theft and other inefficiencies and they are unable to provide a basic upgrade for their service. I am bewildered to understand why the company cannot make a statement to alert the public of when they would be able to respond to the demand for this upgrade. Yet they continue to talk about loss reduction and measures to reduce loss. I would imagine that this is one measure that could be used.

This situation is beyond unacceptable and should be improved swiftly. The people of Guyana deserve the right to manage and monitor their power consumption in real time to adjust their own lifestyles. Unlike the GPL, there are people who would like to monitor their own consumption so that they can measure their use of electricity and steps they take to conserve within their own homes.

Therefore I appeal to the GPL and others responsible to correct this situation as soon as possible if we are serious about conservation and behaviour change.

Yours faithfully,

Dmitri Nicholson