The Alliance For Change (AFC) continues to monitor the performance of the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) and note with deep disquiet the disclosure from the just released 2011 Annual Report.
The AFC is of the understanding that fuel prices are predicted to reduce by some 8-9 percent over 2013 as compared to 2011/2012 prices and this situation should provide saving for GPL to the tune of some G$1.5 billion over the year 2013. If this is coupled with an aggressive operational plan to attack commercial theft, the company can easily add benefit from an aggregating annual savings of G$3.5 billion over 2013 which will go a far way in strengthening the financial operations at the GPL.
So why on April 23, 2013, was the Chairman of GPL calling for a reversal of the G$5.2 billion slashed from their subvention? The AFC is of the view that with a projected Revenue for 2013 of just over G$30 billion and with an 8-9% reduction in the cost of fuel, GPL is well position to implement its program of operations successfully over the year 2013 without a further cent from the taxpayers.
The AFC cannot allow the Government to neglect the needs of the working poor by continuing to divert billions to GPL because the Board of Directors are dedicated to a flawed system that pay its top executives’ salaries averaging G$1.6 million per month, plus free housing, plus free expensive cars, plus free airline tickets to foreign destinations and a menu of other personal perks. How can the AFC ask the taxpayers to foot this bill to pay for this financial waste at GPL?
The AFC looks forward for the Hon. Prime Minister to lay the turnover plans of GPL in Parliament. The AFC advises the PPP Government to seek alternative advice from other stakeholders especially the professionals at the University of Guyana (UG) and the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana (ICAG) on techniques at improving their operations with an objective of controlling their operating cost.
The AFC as a responsible political party will continue to support measures to rehabilitate the electricity infrastructure. This is the reason why the AFC stood with the decision to release of G$5 billion of taxpayers’ rcv.,cbcmdvnesources in 2013 to support the construction of the several sub-stations as a means to reducing the technical line losses. However the “chain around GPL’s neck” remains electricity theft and excessive executive packages for the top management. The AFC will not accept any further excuses from GPL for their failure to attack commercial theft. GPL has reported that last year the Municipalities and NDCs owe a whopping $1Billion. It must go after these defaulters.
We call on GPL’s Management and the whistle blowers within the company to step forward and help us to expose these electricity thieves.
Further, the GPL Board has poorly administered the affairs of the company for the last decade with no let-up in black-outs and misery for the people in sight. The AFC has now lost all confidence in the Board at GPL and demands the immediate dismissal of this failed Board.
The AFC demands that top professionals be approached to sit on this Board regardless of their political persuasion. Professional bodies in civil society such as GAPE and ICAG should be included on the Board so that we all can share the responsibility for cleaning up the mess left at GPL by the Board.[END]
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