SEVERAL Bartica landline customers of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) have expressed disappointment with the company’s non-communication on the unserviceable status of the service over the past three months.This newspaper understands that several landline numbers in the Region Seven community have been inoperable for several weeks, including as far back as November. These include telephone numbers 455-2086, 455-2487, 455-3217,455-2229,455-2306 and 455-0063, which were provided by one of several customers.
This newspaper contacted the company and a request was made to forward the non-working telephone numbers. This was done earlier this week, but the company has not provided any update on the status of the numbers. When the numbers are dialled, the phones would ring out and cut off after a while.
Bartica resident, Kamal Persaud, told the Guyana Chronicle recently that the service has been affecting many persons in the community, including the business community as well as the Neighbourhood Democratic council (NDC). Persaud , who is the vice-chair of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDC, said that even the landline telephones at the NDC offices are inoperable . “When you call the landlines at Bartica they are only ringing out,” Persaud said.
She noted that about 40% of the landline customers in the community are affected and persons have been relying on the use of the mobile phone services to carry out voice communications. ”That can be expensive because not everyone can afford it,” Persaud said.
This newspaper understands that customers have made consistent reports to the telephone company regarding the serviceability of their landlines, but the company has not responded, while other persons lost patience while holding on the customer care lines.
Another customer told this newspaper that the telephone company does not have an office in the mining community, and as such, persons travel to the capital city to make queries and applications regarding the service. She said that the community, which is earmarked for township status this year, has been calling on the company to establish a customer office in the area, closer to home. “Why is it we have to travel to Georgetown just to make an inquiry or to transfer a landline?”
Reports are that the technicians from the company would travel to the area from Georgetown to fix landlines and deal with other issues pertaining to the telephone service.
Persaud said that the community is quickly developing, and as technology advances , so does the area’s dependability on the landline service .She said that at the moment, GTT landline customers are unable to benefit from the internet and Wifi services offered by the company. In addition, she noted that the mobile services are also very slow. “It takes a while to receive and send messages using Whatsapp,” Persaud said.
On Saturday, April 23, Bartica is expected to be officially conferred with township status. The “Green Town” status has been one of the promises made and fulfilled by the government during its campaign leading to last May’s elections.
According to Bartica residents, if the tag of a town is added to the area, there are several aspects of development which would need to be kept in order, including communications.