GPL has failed to maintain transmission lines in the last four years
… It will intensify upgrades ahead of power generation boost – President Ali
GPL work crew during maintenance activity.
Kaieteur News – Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has failed to maintain its transmission lines over the past four years, a situation that must be resolved immediately, according to the Head of State, President Irfaan Ali.
At the time he was addressing a simple ceremony at the President’s Office to swear a fourth Commissioner on the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Dr. Nanda Kishore Gopaul.
According to the President, “I only made a comment two days ago that GPL had not maintained any of its facilities for almost four consecutive years.”
The lines emphasized, “they were not maintained, their system was not maintained” and “today we have to correct that.”
Empowered by the Public Utilities Commission Act, the President said the PUC is required, among other things, to ensure that all public utilities maintain its property and equipment, “in such a service-enabling condition adequate, efficient, non-discriminatory, affordable and safe. ”
On this note, he highlighted concerns in GPL, which had recently come to his attention.
President Ali has since reiterated his government’s commitment to supporting the work of the PUC and to expanding and improving the quality of public services provided to citizens.
The PUC’s work, he said, is expected to intensify as Guyana enters a new phase in its development, “one that has already witnessed the liberalization of the telecommunications sector and plans are underway to boost power generation and water supply.”
The President used the occasion to express confidence that the stellar record of Dr. GOPaul’s public service and wealth of experience is an asset to the PUC.
He reminded the PUC, which is tasked with carrying out regulatory, investigative, enforcement and other functions conferred on it by the PUC Act and other laws, including the Guyana Energy Agency Act, the Electricity Reform Act and the Telecommunications Act.
The President noted that the effectiveness of the PUC service can be achieved by examining the quality of services consumers receive, examining the work done to protect their interests and ensuring that they receive what they pay for. Dr. Gopaul joins the Chairman, Dela Britton and three other Commissioners, Leyland Lucas, Verlyn Klass and Rajendra Bisessar.