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AFC reiterates call for GPL board overhaul

May 31, 2013 News

 

 
Parliamentarian Cathy Hughes has said that her party the Alliance for Change (AFC) continues to monitor the performance of the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) and “notes with deep disquiet the disclosure from the just released 2011 Annual Report”.
Hughes said that 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.  She said that the party has lost all confidence in the Board at GPL and demands the immediate dismissal of this failed Board.
She said that top professionals should be approached to sit on this Board, regardless of their political persuasion.
“Professional bodies in civil society such as GAPE (Guyana Association of Professional Engineers) and ICAG (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana) 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.”
Moreover, Hughes noted that the AFC was of the understanding that fuel prices are predicted to reduce by some eight to nine percent over in 2013 as compared to 2011/2012 prices. This situation, she said, would and should provide saving for GPL to the tune of some G$1.5 billion over the year 2013.  She said that 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 GPL.
Hughes questioned why the Chairman of GPL on April 23 was calling for a reversal of the G$5.2 billion slashed from their subvention. She said that the party 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 positioned to implement its programme of operations successfully over 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 is dedicated to a flawed system that pays 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.”
Hughes asserted that the AFC looks forward for Prime Minister Samuel Hinds to lay the turnover plans of GPL in Parliament.  She urged government to seek alternative advice from other stakeholders on techniques at improving their operations with an objective of controlling their operating cost.
Hughes further noted that the AFC will continue to support measures to rehabilitate the electricity infrastructure.  She said that was the main reason why the AFC stood with the decision to release G$5 billion of taxpayers’ money in 2013 to support the construction of the several sub-stations as a means to reducing the technical line losses.  However, she said, the “chain around GPL’s neck” remains electricity theft and excessive executive packages for the top management.
Hughes maintained that the AFC will not accept any further excuses from GPL for their failure to attack commercial theft, adding that the company needs to go after defaulters who owe them.
.

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