GUYANA Water Inc. (GWI) reported Friday that its officials met recently with members of the Pensioners’ Association of Guyana, to increase its public awareness campaign on the government water subsidy. The meeting, at the Association’s East Street, Georgetown, office saw 30 pensioners interacting with staffers of the GWI Public Relations and Customer Service departments, including Customer Service Manager, Ms. Jeanette Thomas, and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Timothy Austin. 
Secretary of the Association, Ms. Cybil Cort, said most pensioners have a fair understanding of the subsidy but they felt it necessary to educate them further on the actual amounts paid by government, as well as the application by GWI.
A release said the highlight of the meeting was a presentation, by Thomas, on the facts surrounding the grant.  As Manager of the Call Centre, she acknowledged numerous queries from pensioners about their water service.
She remarked: “This meeting was absolutely necessary because we receive a significant amount of calls from pensioners querying their water service.” 
Thomas said some persons are not aware that the money is only granted if the GWI customer is in receipt of Old Age Pension from the government, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
“We also have pensioners who believe that they do not have to pay for water,” she said, informing that they utilised the occasion to emphasize the subsidy is not a waiver of charges for water and, as such, after the government’s contribution is applied to the pensioner’s account, any consumption charges above the amount granted by the government must be paid by the pensioner,” she advised. 
Austin said, while the utility has sent out several mass media messages, to educate pensioners about the matter, it continues to receive numerous calls from customers with misconceptions.
“Having met with the Association, we hope to erase all misunderstandings surrounding the subsidy. We also encouraged pensioners and their families to conserve on water consumption and avoid paying charges which extend beyond the subsidy granted,” he said.
Austin indicated that other initiatives to educate the pensioners and resolve their concerns have been planned as part of the ‘Community Connect’ outreach programme for 2011.