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While, Sohodra Persaud remains without electricity at his Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara residence for the past four months, the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated, (GPL), may be in default of the Public Utilities Commission Act, thus owing him in excess of $80,000 in penalty charges.Recognizing that GPL offers a very essential service to consumers, representation was made by the Commission to have the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Act amended, to make the GPL responsible for the delay in carrying out its duties.The coil of wire that has been in Persaud’s yard since June.The amended Act provides for a monetary penalty to be imposed on GPL each time the company delays in providing a service as detailed in the stipulation.According to the act the electricity company will have to pay residential customers $1,000 per day, a cost which is doubled in the case of commercial services.This move, according to ,Nike Air Max 2018, Chairman of the Commission, Justice Prem Persaud, allows for time frames to be outlined within which certain works must be done by the electricity company.In an earlier interview with this newspaper, Justice Persaud explained that “as soon as the utility company breaches the time frame, a penalty kicks in…They have to pay per day whenever they default…be it late reconnection or new installation…every time they fail to do what they are required to, a cost is imposed.”Sohodra Persaud had electricity withheld from his Lot 388 Ninth Street Non- Pariel, residence since June, despite paying all the required fees to GPL.Persaud explained that GPL disconnected the power supply from his home, during a raid for illegal connections in June.“GPL come early June and them de tek off de light and say dem back bill me for $199,000 cause dem sey that people like dem de thiefing current from me meter.”Persaud further explained that he paid the power company all the outstanding charges which amounted to $143,000 at June month end. The amount includes reconnection fees.However, Persaud has since made numerous failed attempts to have his power supply restored by GPL but the power company has been reluctant in having the problem rectified.“They come and attach a wire to me house and dey just lef it in me yard. De neighbours say that they come last week Monday and look at the pole and just go away,” a frustrated Persaud said. |
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