If GPL wants consumer support it must take complaints on board
Consumer Concerns
Stabroek News
February 18, 2007
The Guyana Power and Light Inc has been warned that unless it reduces its line losses the Inter-American Development Bank will discontinue its support. This is not a warning to GPL alone but to all of us as consumers who desire to build a nation of people with equal living conditions.
The three utilities - water, electricity and telephone - are vital assets in our lives and it is our hope that every citizen who desires to obtain any one of these assets should be in a position to do so. The GPL has a programme that aims at supplying electricity to all areas that do not receive a supply of electricity. It is hampered by the attitude of residents in some areas. They do not co-operate but illegally connect their homes to the power company.
The Guyana Consumers Association has applied for funds to start a Social Responsibility Awareness Programme. Among other plans, we will seek to eradicate the dishonesty that is so prevalent in our society. It is sad to say that dishonesty has now become a feature of life in many societies. There is need for a strong alliance of consumers to change this pattern. We can do it if we set it as a goal.
The GPL has this warning to contend with, but in the meantime it must also seek to win the support of its customers by appointing a consumer-friendly person to manage its customer services. At one period one of the directors of the company was our contact man, and complaints were treated with alacrity and were not dismissed as though the consumer had no rights. Today it seems that the workers at GPL are trained to frustrate customers and to leave them with no opportunity to voice their grievances.
A consumer complained that he recently gave up a meter after paying what was outstanding. He later took up residence elsewhere and requested a new meter. He was asked to pay a sum of $32,000, which the company claimed was due since the year 1992. He did not remember having a meter at that period of time but the point at issue is this: Is GPL entitled to claim a sum of money that has been owing for 15 years? The Statute of Limitations provides that if a debt is not paid within three years, it lapses. Is GPL exempted?
Recently the Guyana Consumers Association brought to the attention of GPL that it has been requiring customers who were disconnected for more than a month, to pay the fixed charge. GCA pointed out that this practice is unacceptable as the company is collecting a proportion of the rate although the customer is disconnected. The reply is awaited.
I mentioned in my last column that a Joint Statement was signed by GPL and GCA on June 28, 2005. It was agreed that the term "Miscellaneous Charges" would no longer appear on bills, but when a new meter was installed in the home, the average consumption over the first three months would be accepted as the rate of consumption, and the customer would be issued with a debit or credit bill.
Unfortunately, the Joint Statement was not published so that customers of the company were not aware that the term "Miscellaneous Charges" would no longer appear on bills.
Some of the officers at GPL appear not to be aware of this agreement and continue to estimate consumption when there is a faulty meter.
How does GPL arrive at estimated consumption? There is a chart which lists all the electrical pieces of equipment that could be in a home and against each is a figure showing what "GPL considers to be the monthly consumption of each item." Customers are not required to say how often they use the electrical equipment or if they use them at all.
On several occasions I have mentioned that GPL considers that any home possessing a refrigerator of any size or worked at any temperature, consumes 90 units of electricity a month. At the rate of $45.68 per unit, each customer with a refrigerator is charged $4111.20 per month, no matter how small the refrigerator may be and no matter if it has been in service. GPL has refused to consider making changes in its chart.
If GPL wishes to have consumers one hundred per cent behind it, cognizance must be taken of these complaints.