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GPL loses $$millions annually through cable operators, GT&T
Guyana Power and Light (GPL), in addition to the billions of dollars lost through technical and commercial losses, continue
Bharat Dindyal
to lose millions of dollars each year as a result of cable operators and the Guyana Telephone and Telephone (GT&T) Company utilizing its poles countrywide without paying a dime.
This was confirmed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Power Company, Bharat Dindyal, who yesterday in a telephone interview with this publication said that there is currently no agreement in place with those using the company’s utility poles.
Private Cable operators across the country have over the years taken to servicing homes by using the GPL utility poles to string their cables.
This state of affairs has continued unhindered by the power company, which is only now looking to put arrangements in place to secure revenue from the cable operators and from GT&T.
Dindyal said that the power company is currently looking to finalise a formal agreement which would then be applied across the board.
Dindyal also pointed out to this newspaper that at present the power company is unaware of just how many cable operators are stringing cables on its poles.
The power company’s CEO also conceded that at this point in time, he is not in a position to quantify just how much money is lost.
The situation is compounded further with the fact that on an annual basis GPL is handed billions of dollars in subsidies which would mean that the power company is in effect directly subsidizing the operations of the private cable operators.
According to Dindyal, the company is looking to the agreement with the various operators to be in place and signed early next year.
He said that at present the major bugbear is having insurance in place.
Dindyal informed that the power company has already approached insurance brokers who are currently analyzing what options are available to secure the power company in case of losses.
Over 8,000 power poles are in use by a number of local cable companies, including E-Networks, Bartica Communications and Atlantic Cable TV Network (ACN).
Vishok Persaud’s E-Networks has been stringing cables along GPL’s poles across the country.
That company and Brian Yong’s Quark Communications Inc. were among two companies given the controversial operational go-ahead to run cable TV services by former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Both companies, along with Global Technology, are now poised to be handed telecommunications once the pending amendments to the current laws are passed.
These licences will also allow both to offer telephone services, mobile services, internet and a host of other high demands.
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