.jpg)
GUYANA Power & Light (GPL), in an effort to minimise electricity theft in Berbice, has removed in excess of 500 illegal connections in Angoy’s Avenue, a squatting area on the eastern fringe of New Amsterdam. In addition, some 70 prohibited links with a similar number of unlawful services were disconnected from Pepper Street, Edinburgh Village; Albion; Letter Kenny and Upper Corentyne locations, as well as Calcutta Village on West Coast Berbice.
A representative of the Loss Reduction Department of GPL, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle that, while millions of dollars are expended to purchase fuel and other necessities, customers are not benefitting as a result of the illegality.
He highlighted the presumptuous acts of the thieves who would brazenly reconnect wires, although the lines may have been removed.
Reference was made to a repeat offender in Angoy’s Avenue, who was caught suspended by a ladder on an utility pole, as he made the illegal link and that matter is currently engaging the attention of the court.
Another resident had his meter taken away after it was discovered that, although he operated five freezers, the instrument was not registering his electricity usage.
This newspaper was informed that, with the upcoming festive season, the loss reduction crew has a twenty-four-hour per day mandate to nab thieves who opt to consume current but refuse to pay for it.
It was noted that despite there was no reported human death for 2012, there are several reports of animals being electrocuted in the squatting area.
However, another GPL official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said fines should be increased in keeping with the law and that payments be demanded for stolen electricity, which can be calculated according to the amperes consumed when the diversion is discovered.
Meanwhile, it was pointed out that the squatting area is not regularised because of an ongoing court case between the Government and the New Amsterdam Town Council.
Consequently, residents there are dwelling on non-transported land and one of the requirements when applying for service from the utility company is that the applicant must possess a transport, lease or a tenancy
agreement.
A representative of the Loss Reduction Department of GPL, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle that, while millions of dollars are expended to purchase fuel and other necessities, customers are not benefitting as a result of the illegality.
He highlighted the presumptuous acts of the thieves who would brazenly reconnect wires, although the lines may have been removed.
Reference was made to a repeat offender in Angoy’s Avenue, who was caught suspended by a ladder on an utility pole, as he made the illegal link and that matter is currently engaging the attention of the court.
Another resident had his meter taken away after it was discovered that, although he operated five freezers, the instrument was not registering his electricity usage.
This newspaper was informed that, with the upcoming festive season, the loss reduction crew has a twenty-four-hour per day mandate to nab thieves who opt to consume current but refuse to pay for it.
It was noted that despite there was no reported human death for 2012, there are several reports of animals being electrocuted in the squatting area.
However, another GPL official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said fines should be increased in keeping with the law and that payments be demanded for stolen electricity, which can be calculated according to the amperes consumed when the diversion is discovered.
Meanwhile, it was pointed out that the squatting area is not regularised because of an ongoing court case between the Government and the New Amsterdam Town Council.
Consequently, residents there are dwelling on non-transported land and one of the requirements when applying for service from the utility company is that the applicant must possess a transport, lease or a tenancy
agreement.
