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He made the statement in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, during which he addressed the Government’s move to increase the electricity tariffs for consumers of Linden, in Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice).Edghill said many persons tend to feel that Linden is a ‘deh bad’ place but this is not the case. He said some people also believe that the Upper Demerara River township is a dark hole where nothing happens but that is not true.
He said, at the time when the bauxite industry was having real difficulties, the residents of Linden were offered the tariff reduction. However, Linden is on the rise, again, and a large number of the residents there are employed.
HUGE PERCENTAGE
Edghill said, while the reality remains that many of them are not employed in the area itself, the mining industry and other interior locations employ a huge percentage of Linden residents.
He said there are many misconceptions and lies being peddled by sections of society about the facts and real reasons surrounding the Government’s decision on the tariff review.
According to him, two of the main lies and misconceptions being spread are that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government will be hiking the rate in Linden by 800 percent and attempting to punish the people of Linden for their non-support at the November 28, 2011 polls.
But he pointed out that, despite the voting pattern in Linden over the years, Government has never sought to victimise the residents in any way.
Edghill said a case in point was the elections of 2006 where, again, the Linden residents showed their support for the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and they still enjoyed the lowest rate throughout the country.
NO SECRET
He maintained that the voting pattern in Linden is no secret to any Guyanese and this includes those within the PPP/C.
Edghill said the approach in the tariff increase for Linden is the reality that everyone has to pay for what they use and he reminded that, while residents in Linden are paying approximately $5 and $15 per kilowatt hour for electricity, consumers in Georgetown and other parts of the country are paying between $55 and $60 per kilowatt hour.
He said, in essence, the rest of the country, by way of paying electricity bills at the end of the month are, by virtue, subsidising those persons living in Linden.
Edghill said, given the rise in fuel price and the millions being expended by Guyana Power & Light (GPL) to secure other resources in the provision of electricity, every cent counts.
He explained that the Government has budgeted $6 billion for the utility company to ease the burden on consumers. He said, had the Government not taken such a step, each household would have had to pay an additional 20 percent monthly on their electricity bill.
The allocation to GPL will benefit more than 160,000 people, the Minister said.
UNDER DISCUSSION
Edghill insisted that the issue of tariff review for Linden has been on the table for a while now and, despite the length of time, things are still under discussion.
The minister said there will come a time when a decision must be made on those issues and, in the Linden electricity case, it had to be now.
He dispelled rumours that the Government will increase the rate by 800 percent and said, at no time, did the Government discuss within itself or with persons or groups about such an unrealistic move.
Edghill said it is normal for the residents of Linden to react negatively at the likely adjustments in their tariff. However, the biggest problem the change seems to be creating for them is to conserve on energy, something that they paid very little attention to in the past.
He said wastage is unacceptable but what is more is they are engaged in acts of wasting at the expense of others.
