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Gov’t defends increased electricity tariffs for Linden

Apr 08, 2012 News

– Claims necessary to compensate for GPL shortfall

Government is defending the impending electricity hike in Linden. The new tariff was announced by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh during the recent Budget presentation.
On March 30, last, the Finance Minister noted that electricity tariffs were last adjusted in 2007, when light and heavy fuel oils were procured at US$71 and US$109 per barrel respectively. The prices have since increased by 61percent and 38 percent to US$114 and US150 per barrel respectively. GPL funded the escalated costs without any tariff adjustments.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) Dr. Roger Luncheon, Thursday, at his weekly post-Cabinet briefing defended the increase in electricity tariffs called for by the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL).
Dr. Luncheon explained that the increase is justified since the GPL reported a shortfall of $11B and despite the request by Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh in his budget presentation for a $6 Billion transfer from Government, the company still has a $5B shortfall.
This $5B, he said, has to come from the customers as opposed to the entire $11B which would result in inordinately high tariffs.
In rebutting to the Opposition’s concerns of the price hike, Luncheon noted, “If the political opposition has risen in arms in defence of what was planned or is planned for tariff increases in Region Ten, if we are to take it to its logical conclusion when tariff increases occur elsewhere, I don’t know what they are going to do.”
Adding that it would be illogical for Guyanese everywhere other than Region Ten to bear the brunt of tariff increases, Luncheon said the costly rental of generators by the GPL was a decision made at the Board of Directors’ level and not Cabinet or Central Government and, he is not privy to the other factors that contributed to the decisions that were made by the GPL.
Friday last, a group of Lindeners comprising of mostly women, took to the streets in the mining town to protest the impending electricity hike for the area.
The protesters converged in front of the Linden Utilities Coop Society Limited (LUCSL), which provides electricity for residents on the West Bank or Wismar shore, before marching down the street chanting, “No increase in electricity”, “Ashni eyes pas we” and, “PPP mean fuh punish we”. Apart from the chants the protesters carried placards with similar slogans.
The march culminated in front of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Office, where the protesters were addressed by Chairman of Region Ten, Sharma Solomon, and Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon.

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