GUYANA Water Inc. on Friday morning launched its Christmas promotion titled, “GWI’s Holiday Slash and Cash” with the aim of strengthening its customer base.

The ceremony took place at GWI’s head office at Shelterbelt on Vlissengen Road. According to GWI’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard Van-West Charles throughout the past two years their staff responded well towards work in terms of striving to improve their services. He reported that some customers are compliant and pay their bills, while others are delinquent, but all that will change soon because they recognised that there are many payment facilities.

Dr. Van-West Charles stated that many people don’t have access to water and water of good quality, especially those in the hinterland regions. He added that the utility company is working to remove the inequities that exist between the coastland and the interior and for them to do more they need funding and that given by the government is for infrastructural projects.

The GWI official told the gathering that they are moving towards complete metering of their customers, so that their charges are just and fair and estimated bills will be a thing of the past.
He disclosed that they will soon be launching an app via cellphones to enable customers to check their balances and they want to make it easy to pay bills and they are in talks with GTT Mobile Money.

Dr. Van-West Charles stated that they want to prove their efficiency and at the same time provide easy access for customers to pay bills and check their balances. He said they have just over 50,000 customers, some of whom have been unable to pay their bills in a timely manner and they do not want to remove the services of its delinquent customers, but they need to honour their payments or make use of the friendly payment plans available.

The CEO however, encouraged customers to pay their outstanding bills to assist them to do more, since some far-flung communities require potable water. Also making remarks was GWI’s Customer Relations Manager Andrea Khan and Customer Services and Commercial Relations Manager Marlon Daniels. The GWI Christmas promotion will run from December 11 to 29 and customers paying off balances on their accounts from $15,000 and up will be eligible for a chance to get one-month waivers on their water bills exceeding $5,000 from GWI.

This amount not exceeding $5,000 will be credited to the customer’s account after the billing cycle for the following month and five customers from each regional office will be randomly selected weekly. Disconnected customers who pay 50% or more on their outstanding balances will be eligible to get 50% off their reconnection/replacement fees.

Customers who pay less than $15,000 to clear their bills will get a chance to win prizes from GWI; and five customers from each regional office will be randomly selected on a weekly basis. In addition, five pensioners will be randomly selected from each of GWI’s regional offices and will each receive a hamper during the period of the promotion.

Persons paying GWI bills at any of the payment agencies or via MMG or ScotiaOnline will be eligible to enter the promotion only if they submit their receipts to the cashier at any of GWI’s 12 locations countrywide. Only then will the customer be able to get a legitimate coupon to place in the boxes provided by GWI.