Dear Editor,
The senior management at GPL especially the embattled acting CEO, is a disgrace to all families which are struggling to meet their monthly light bill payments. On top of an oppressive electricity rate averaging approximately US$0.33 per kWh (compared to Suriname at US$0.06 per kWh), the tariff payers are faced with massive financial punishment if by chance their electricity is disconnected.
Disconnection by itself is punitive and thus a reconnection fee of $3,200 (even $5,000) is fair, plus the settlement of all outstanding past bills. But to impose the condition that to benefit from reconnected services, one has to pay a security deposit valued at six months of average electricity usage is nothing but criminal. I am sure if challenged in law, it might be found to be illegal.
In an environment with one of the highest amounts of line and commercial losses in the Western hemisphere, the senior management of GPL has the audacity to demand that the poor people at the back of Lusignan fund their incompetence and inefficiencies?
But what is mind-boggling is that the political directorate in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has done very little to address this situation; instead, they choose a hands-off approach while the people suffer. Is this the good life?
In the APNU+AFC manifesto, it promised that it shall govern in an environment that attacks the “ravages of poverty and discrimination…” Well, this decision by GPL is a clear act of discrimination against the poor and the working class. GPL is taking the bread out of poor people’s mouths. This situation points to a political disaster in March 2016 for those who are hiding in their air-conditioned offices burning free electricity.
Is the Minister protecting the acting CEO of GPL and if so, why? In an environment where so many dark clouds are hanging over the acting CEO’s head, he was left in position while an investigation was being conducted into his alleged tampering with a multi-million dollar procurement process. Is the PPP style alive and well today?
Unfortunately, the struggle for the good governance movement seems to have lost one of its most ardent columnists, Mr Christopher Ram, who in the old days would have been all over this, calling out the wrongdoers. Unfortunate indeed, but we must welcome young minds like Gordon Moseley who broke this story.
I supported a change in government in May 2015 and I still do believe it was the right thing to do in order to stop PPP malfeasance. But then I am always guided by Martin Niemőller’s wisdom. Therefore, irrespective of who conducted the acts of wrongdoing, they must be called out.
I still believe President Granger is a good man but he has some dead wood on his team who continue to hurt his legacy. Agricultural science taught me that there is only one thing you do with dead wood. The word is prune!
Yours faithfully,
Sase Singh
