-20 households in Moleson Creek to soon be connected to GPL grid

By Bebi Shafeah Oosman

FOLLOWING President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s visit to Crabwood Creek earlier this year, residents who were once without electricity in the backlands area now enjoy direct connections from the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL), which is significantly enhancing their daily lives.

Forty-two-year-old Nazmoon Yassin of Grant 1709 Crabwood Creek backlands is celebrating her long-awaited access to electricity after a decade of waiting.

According to Yassin, she had pleaded their case several times to various government officials over the years; however, her calls were never answered.

Due to the area’s incomplete regularisation, residents have been unable to obtain transport for their lands and have only a sale agreement which has discouraged them from pursuing the necessary steps to secure access to electricity.

Without formal recognition of their land ownership, many saw the challenge as insurmountable, leaving the community in the dark for years.

However, everything changed in May when President Ali visited the community for a walkthrough. During this visit, Yassin and others took the opportunity to voice their concerns about the lack of electricity; their determination to bring attention to the issue marked a turning point, igniting hope within the community for a brighter future.

“The President come like four to five months ago; just a visit in Crabwood Creek and I reach with him and he promised that we would get current and just the next day we get results,” Yassin relayed to this publication.

According to her, one day after the President’s visit, staff attached to the GPL, visited the community and commenced the electricity-supply process.

“They start run post [poles], wire and then we get the transformer and now we get the current,” she said.

Sharing her excitement, she stated, “I feel so nice. So long we going and asking for current and we finally get it, I feel so excited. I live at the head of the street, so I was the first one to get the current and I feel very excited and very happy for it.”

While previously some of the residents used a solar energy setup to power their lights, Yassin said that she will now feel comfortable to have her “fridge and tv work day and night.”

“I have current appliances but I had to use the solar, so during the night we would take off the fridge and it only work during the day; so its nice now that I get current that the fridge can work day and night and you never go run out of current now.”

She added, “I am very thankful to the President of Guyana for helping us out. I am very thankful for it.”

DOZENS BENIFITTING

At Grant 1709, around 40 homes have received electricity, while another 40 houses in Grant 1805 have also benefitted from this new access.

Additionally, in Grant 1803, 25 households are now enjoying the advantages of reliable power.

This publication spoke to several other Crabwood Creek backlands residents about their first-time electricity access.

Oswald Alexander Phoenix, 51, shared his excitement about receiving his electricity meter on Saturday.

He has ambitious plans to build a new house on his lot, and once it’s complete, he intends to wire it up and connect it to the electricity meter.

This new access to power not only symbolises progress for Oswald but also fuels his dreams for a brighter future in his community.

He explained, “Me na do nothing with the current yet. This house old so me got to build a new house and then me go use the current. Look how much year abbay deh put in for current, all thing them say for do and abbay never get, about five six times abbay do it.”

He added, “This alright for abbay because now you can get you lil fridge and our lil drinks. You na got to run go shop every time to buy something when you want something cold… Every time you want something cold here you had to go shop. We only have solar for light but for nothing else.”

Janet Jordan, 55, explained that when her grandchildren visit now for the weekend they will not have to use a torchlight to complete their homework. “It go benefit me for them children read when they come. They used to use the solar light and torchlight and me can buy one lil fridge and put it on so them can get their lil cold thing.”

MOLESON CREEK

Further, the GPL has begun the process of supplying electricity to parts of Moleson Creek for the first time. Currently, the company is busy installing wires and utility poles, with plans to connect about 20 households to the its power grid.

This initiative marks a significant step forward, bringing the promise of reliable electricity to families who have long been without it.

Residents are filled with hope and excitement at the prospect of electricity supply finally becoming a reality.

After years of waiting in the dark, the promise of reliable power ignites a sense of optimism within the community. Families envision brighter nights, enhanced opportunities for education and work, and the simple joys of modern living.

This long-awaited change is seen not just as a utility upgrade, but as a vital step toward a better quality of life and a stronger, more connected community.

Royanand Persaud, 54, a resident of Moleson Creek, is eagerly anticipating his electricity connection as the GPL continues its ongoing work. The prospect of reliable power fills him with hope, signalling a new chapter for his household.

He said:“Since me a small boy we want this current. We get road couple years now and we did still waiting for the current, but the speed they going now it look like we will get it cause them done run the wire and poles on the road.”

Persaud, who has already wired his house and was awaiting his connection to a meter, stated, “It get one or two children in here need the electricity and to get lil wifi in the night to do their work.”

He continued, “Me go be so happy for that, we real happy. Me get one [and] two things that really need current because the solar is just to light the light, two bulbs.”