'Light' bill row hits TUC
Guyana Chronicle
A ROW broke out among Trades Union Congress (TUC) executives yesterday, disrupting a press conference called to discuss the rate hike announced for the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC). The umbrella trade union body has threatened to "take to the streets" if necessary to protest the `light' bill increase which comes into effect this month. Education Officer of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Mr. Premchand Dass, who was lunching with other executive members at another end of the room where the conference was taking place, objected to an explanation by TUC executive, Mr. Randolph Kirton, on a resolution the body claimed was reached by its Executive Council. This resulted in the argument. Dass, who was at the western end of the conference room, first disassociated GAWU from the opening statement of TUC General Secretary, Mr. Lincoln Lewis. But things really heated up when Kirton said a 48-hour moratorium was arrived by the TUC, requesting the Government to withdraw the rate hike. According to Dass, no timeframe was arrived and it was misleading for Kirton to say there was. "Don't let us air our dirty laundry in public", the GAWU representative said, as the row continued unabated, forcing one member of the press to cancel asking a question, bringing the briefing to a premature end. Ignoring appeals by other TUC executives to calm down, the two members continued their shouting match, even after the press conference wrapped up and reporters had left the room. Lewis, in his opening statement, called on the Government to withdraw the rate increase "forthwith." "The TUC considers the imposition of increased electricity tariffs, particularly at this time, to be an unbearable additional burden, which the vast majority of Guyanese are both unwilling and unable to carry", he argued. "The implications of this additional financial burden for the working people of Guyana, will, of course, be serious." He contended that Prime Minister Sam Hinds, who has responsibility for the electricity sector, treated the labour movement "shabbily" by not consulting it on the increase. The Government was only the custodian of the power corporation, he said, adding the GEC "belongs to the people of this country." He said in other circumstances the announcement of the increase might have been mistaken for an April fool joke but "we are not...in the month of April and the Prime Minister...is serious." Backing the TUC's call for a retraction of the increase, General Secretary of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), Mr. Kaisree Takechandra said the rate hike came as a total surprise to his union. Mr. Hinds on Monday announced a 15 per cent tariff increase in electricity rates as GEC struggles with mounting debts and other problems. Final figures are to be worked out, sources said, since the 15 per cent will cover different categories for payment. A 12 per cent increase in rates is also to come on stream from April next year. NAACIE, which represents GEC employees, signed a nine per cent wage increase agreement with the power company last week, but Takechandra said that during negotiations, it was never indicated the corporation was considering increasing tariffs. The NAACIE official said he did not see the increase as perhaps being implemented to cover the wage hike for GEC staffers, since the management indicated it was in a position to pay the nine per cent wage hike. NAACIE had originally requested a 40 per cent increase for its members. Another TUC executive, Mr. Norris Witter who also shared the press briefing, recalled the emphasis on the importance of dialogue between the Government and the labour movement for crucial decisions, as was posited at a recent labour administrators meeting. "The concept is that the social partners should be given a hearing", Witter said. "If this notion is to be meaningful, it has to be founded on the basis of mutual trust, respect and honesty." "This act of increasing rates without consultation must be taken seriously", Witter contended, stating that a nexus should be drawn between this issue and the Government's commitment to the process of political dialogue. "The decision to increase electricity rates comes without either warning or consultation with the labour movement and reflects a lack of regard for the impact which it will have on the consuming public", Lewis added. The Prime Minister in announcing the increase admitted that while higher 'light' bills were not welcome news, many customers have said they would be "willing to pay more for their electricity if it were only more reliable." "There has been a real improvement in the electricity supply in the past year, and even more reliable power is now on the near horizon", Mr. Hinds said. "Perhaps the Prime Minister may wish to furnish the labour movement with a list of such 'willing' customers from amongst the working people", Lewis suggested. The TUC General Secretary said the Prime Minister's justification for the increase was not acceptable, given that it comes at a time when oil prices are at their lowest in 12 years. "The new electricity rates represent an attempt at a pre-privatisation 'bailing out' of the GEC", Lewis argued. The TUC has threatened industrial action "from moderate to extreme" against the increase. Kirton said this could include sit-ins, sick-outs, street marches or public meetings. The TUC said in all fairness to "compromise" it was willing to meet the Government to discuss the GEC's problems, but will do so after the Government withdraws the increase. 
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