I was disappointed by GT&T’s response to comments I made to one of your reporters with regard to the 911 service.

In the past, I have been very critical of the Guyana Police Force’s handling of the 911 emergency system. During a visit to the Brickdam Police Station at the Annual Awards Luncheon, I was invited to observe the operation of the 911 system. I stood in the room where the four 911 phones rang and observed the promptness of the officers answering the phones. After questioning the extremely short length of most of the calls, I was invited to answer the phones myself. I was shocked to find that of the fifteen calls I answered only five were actual calls, while the other ten were silent. I used my cell phone and called 911 and the number rang out while none of the phones in front of me rang. On my second attempt with my cell phone the number was engaged but there were vacant phones infront of me.

I made a mental note to speak with GT&T on this matter; however I was caught up with the busyness of the season and as such was unable to do so.

During the Arrowpoint Christmas Party for the children of Santa Mission the reporters covering the event took the opportunity to seek my views on various national issues, one of which was the public concern with 911 system.

My personal comments were not an attack on GT&T, rather they were meant as a plea to the technical experts at GT&T to solve this urgent problem, since 911 calls could be a matter of life or death.

It is my hope that the experts at GT&T will once and for all fix the 911 system so that Guyanese could live with a sense of security that the system works.
GERRY GOUVEIA