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Government continued to pile pressure on the Opposition Wednesday to reverse a $5.2B budget cut to the State’s power company but the reasons being given for a proposed 26.7% tariff hike on consumers’ bills have come under fire.The Private Sector Commission (PSC) and Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) called on the Opposition to restore the monies. However, the Opposition is sticking to its guns. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) insisted that the proposed hike is unjustifiable and brazen. The 10-party coalition hinted that it may be ready for talks, but good sense must prevail.“The Government of Guyana and GPL are playing a dangerous game with the future of our people. A Partnership for National Unity calls for good sense to prevail before any decision is made to increase electricity rates at this time.”Sasenarine SinghAPNU said that the hike comes at a time when an increasing number of Guyanese are suffering from the “ravages of rising poverty levels” from the “failing policies” of the Administration.“Guyanese should not be asked to continue to pay for the inefficiencies of GPL, primarily as the result of poor management and endemic levels of corruption within the corporation.”APNU made it clear that during the debate of the 2012 National Budget, the Opposition requested that GPL should submit a credible management plan to justify the release of the subsidy which they were asking for.“This was never submitted by GPL and,Norichika Aoki Jersey, as a consequence, a similar condition was set for the release of the subsidy requested in the 2013 National Budget. Therefore, the claim that the Opposition has arbitrarily withheld the requested subsidy is a deliberate misrepresentation.”On Saturday,Cincinnati Reds Desmond Jennings Jersey, GPL said that as a result of $7.8B in losses last year from high fuel prices, it is now being forced to implement a 26.7% increase on customers, effective last month. However, the Public Utilities Commission, which regulates GPL, indicated that it had not received any applications for the increase as of Monday.The Alliance For Change (AFC), which together with APNU, controls a one-seat voting majority in the National Assembly, said over the weekend that it was prepared to fight the increase during any public hearing held by PUC.The Opposition parties also argued that GPL,Santiago Casilla Jersey, in upping pressure to have the $5.2B restored, deliberately linked their losses to a number of capital projects for which the monies were intended.As a matter of fact,Minnesota Twins Drew Stubbs Jersey, says AFC’s financial analyst, Sasenarine Singh, GPL’s arguments over the fuel increases, one of GPL’s biggest expenses, is questionable,Arizona Diamondbacks Gregor Blanco Jersey, as indications are that prices have gone down this year, as compared to 2012, allowing the company to save $1.5B from this projected spending.GPL’s technical and commercial losses have also been coming under severe criticism. The technical losses are caused from the aging transmission lines and leaking equipment,Arizona Diamondbacks Jorge De La Rosa Jersey, like transformers. Non-technical or commercial losses are mainly theft.In a letter to the editor published on Tuesday, Singh pointed out that despite spending billions, GPL failed to make a dent in reducing theft which stayed stagnant at an alarming 17%, affecting the company’s income significantly.“GPL is clearly not serious on this issue since from all appearances they seem to be going after the marginal thieves when the real “fat cats” continue to burn their air conditioners and high powered security lights 24 hours a day, compliments of free GPL electricity.”Singh called on government to seriously think about advancing electricity charged to GPL to ease the company’s financial woes.He also suggested that one of the ways that GPL can also seriously consider cutting costs is selling off properties in the city and consolidating all of its operations at Garden of Eden.Singh advised that to reduce staffing and other logistical expenses, Western Union and the Post Office can easily be used with a small sub-office at Sophia and Kingston,Michael Bourn Jersey, for those who really want to deal directly with GPL.“The sale of those buildings will reap several hundreds of millions that can be injected into GPL immediately.  The Government can also use the resources from NICIL and Lotto Funds to construct a “GRA-type building” at Garden of Eden and treat that as a further capital contribution to GPL.”According to Singh, an examination of GPL’s figures would  show that GPL had an increase in its cash and cash equivalent in 2012 of some G$33 million as compared to a drain on its bank account of some G$2.9 billion in 2011.“If there was a year to request tariff increases, it was 2011,Oakland Athletics Matt Joyce Jersey, when GPL bled billions. However,Edwin Encarnacion Jersey, as per standard operating practice, politics overwhelmed commercial realism in the Government in 2011.  Now they are using politics again to drive fear into the people with no foundation of commercial realism.”Singh said that in addition to the $6 billion cash injection into GPL in 2012, the people also injected some $5B in new cash in 2013, but yet is now “asking for an indefensible 26.7%”. “If this is not the action of a serial bully, then what is?”