THE agency which monitors utilities in Guyana, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), has added its voice to condemning the wanton vandalism of infrastructure of the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T). In a press statement, the PUC said, yesterday, that it has noted, with concern, the recent acts of vandalism against the phone company.
The statement noted that the acts of vandalism are concentrated on the copper cables which the phone company uses to provide service to land line customers.
“The seemingly fashionable and prevalent act continues to disrupt a vital service to consumers,” the statement observed, adding that affected customers have been complaining about the acts that cause them to suffer disruption of service.
It said the acts of vandalism seemingly becoming a daily occurrence and this can cause GT&T to undertake unnecessary expenses to repair and replace copper.
The PUC noted that, apart from the losses to the company, the deployment of human resources to remedy and deal with the issues can impact negatively on other services of the phone company.
The statement warned that continued vandalism that causes GT&T to divert its attention can, ultimately, delay potential infrastructural works which may be beneficial to communities.
The PUC, therefore, calls on those who may be vandalising the cables to act responsibly and desist from the practice.
The Commission also said customers must be vigilant and report suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.
Over the years, GT&T has been spending millions to repair and or replace cables that were either removed or damaged by persons who continue to tamper with the infrastructure of the company.