THE Guyana Power and Light has assured the general public that the company does not condone violence in any form against its customers, staff and contractors.

On Wednesday, May 23, 2018 after 16:00hrs, an externally-contracted disconnection crew, attached to Noel’s Electrical, were involved in a physical altercation with a GPL Inc. customer residing at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara. The disconnection crew, at the time, were conducting disconnection and reconnection services on behalf of the GPL Inc.

The State power company, in a press statement Tuesday, noted that conflict resolution strategies play an integral role in the service delivery and GPL will endeavour to better equip staff and contractors with the tools necessary to avoid incidents. The matter involving the disconnection crew has origins in the disconnection crew executing their duties in accordance with standard operating procedures.

GPL stated that the account from which the problem stemmed, had an outstanding balance for April’s billing period which remained outstanding as at the May 8, 2018 due date. A grace period of 14 days beyond this due date was extended to this customer and a disconnection order subsequently generated on the fifteenth day (May 23, 2018) and dispatched to the disconnection crew, as no payments were recorded within the grace period.

On May 23, 2018 the account was disconnected for nonpayment of the April balance. Additionally, during the afternoon of May 23, 2018, a payment was made on the account. The power company stated that the amount tendered liquidated the outstanding balance and the reconnection fee.

The account was then subsequently reconnected on May, 25 2018 in keeping with the company’s Customer Service Standards regarding reconnections.

An official police report has since been filed on the physical incident involving the disconnection crew and the customer and this matter remains with the La Grange Police Station. In addition, both Noel’s Electrical and GPL Inc. are assisting with this investigation.