Power company to be responsible for electricity in Timehri area
Stabroek News
November 23, 2002
Full responsibility for the supply of electricity in the Timehri area is to be transferred from the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) administration to the Guyana Power & Light Inc. (GPL) shortly.
However, the initial takeover target date of December 1 for completion of the new arrangements has been put off, according to a release yesterday under the signatures of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who has responsibility for the electricity sector, GPL's Senior Income & Billing Manager Sam Zimbe and Regional Chairman, Region Four, Allan Munroe.
The reason for the deferral, the release stated, is to allow time for the identification of squatter settlements which can be regularised by the Ministry of Housing and Water, and then for GPL to complete the system design and infrastructure works for the upgrade of the distribution networks, including construction of new networks, and removal of outdated systems and irregular connections.
Meanwhile, customers who are in areas which can be regularised and who can establish legal occupancy of their premises and are interested in obtaining a supply of electricity from GPL must go through the following procedures:
a) Wire their premises in accordance with existing standards and obtain a Certificate of Inspection from the office of the Chief Electrical Inspector;
b) Settle their accounts with the Region Four administration in full; and
c) Submit their application to GPL together with a valid Certificate of Inspection, and pay the required security deposit.
Moreover, the release noted, eligible customers will be transferred from the old to the new arrangements in logical groupings, rather than on an individual basis, and depending on the overall supply arrangements.
And the Ministry of Housing and Water (Central Housing and Planning Authority - CH&PA) is working with other related agencies to determine which squatter areas in the Timehri area could be regularised and to subsequently issue allocation letters. Therefore all residents in squatter areas who have been issued with allocation letters from the CH&PA must follow the procedures outlined in order to be eligible for electricity from the GPL.
Customers who require clarification on these matters are advised to contact GPL on telephone no. 225-7778 or the Region Four administration on telephone no. 261-2241, the release added.
