IN the wee hours yesterday morning, a car owned by a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) loss reduction supervisor in Berbice was reportedly set on fire.
According to Mr. Aeshwar Deonarine, GPL’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, it is suspected that this heinous act was perpetrated by a person retaliating against an accusation of stealing electricity. The police are currently investigating.
Deonarine, in a statement to the media yesterday, pointed out that as GPL continues the relentless loss reduction battle, perpetrators try to find ingenious ways of stealing and will do virtually anything to prevent prosecution.
“As in this case, perpetrators resort to violence,” he stated.
GPL’s chief security officer was shot dead in 2009 whilst investigating alleged electricity theft. Many employees put themselves at risk every day to curb electricity losses. Yet there are others who are corrupt and collude with perpetrators. Deonarine said the company dismisses these corrupt employees forthwith, and seeks criminal prosecution against them. GPL will do everything in its power to bring perpetrators to justice, and will fully support its honest and hard-working employees.
Between 2007 and this year, he said almost 50,000 illegal connections were found and removed. Of approximately 2,500 persons who were arrested and charged, over 500 were convicted. There are over 1,000 cases pending in the courts.
Deonarine also declared that GPL will not give up its fight against electricity thieves. He said the company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars, and will continue to invest significantly, in reducing losses.
Amongst other initiatives, the company is moving to implement sophisticated technology that will easily identify customers who are stealing. The technology will provide on-line real time information twenty four hours a day, which will enable GPL to respond instantly. In addition, the system will record vital statistics which will be presented as evidence in court. This technology has had huge success in curbing electricity theft in many countries world-wide.
Electricity theft affects everyone: GPL suffers directly, as it is unable to recover revenues that are much-needed to improve its quality of service. Customers suffer indirectly by having to pay a higher tariff.
He said the company strongly encourages persons to report electricity theft. “All information will be treated in the strictest confidence. As losses are reduced everyone benefits. Customers will have an improved quality of service and potentially lower tariffs,” appealed Deonarine.
Persons can call GPL’s hotline number – 225 5251 – during working hours to report electricity theft.