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Electrocuted on fishing trip…GPL confirms illegal connection caused dad’s death at Coverden
The Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) has confirmed that an Illegal connection caused the death of 36-year-old Orlando Ramnarine, the dad who died during a fishing trip.
A GPL official told Kaieteur News that a team visited the area and verified the presence of the illegal connection.
A report is being prepared on the incident.
Ramnarine, a Pharmacy Street, Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara resident and father of three, was electrocuted two Mondays ago while fishing with his family at a cherry farm in Coverden.
GPL sources said that its staff repeatedly removed illegal connections from the same community where Ramnarine met his death.
Orlando Ramnarine
But as soon as the wires are removed the perpetrators would put them back up.
The source said that the issue of persons stealing electricity is so prevalent at Coverden that it is difficult for the power company to keep track of the culprits.
“We know what electricity shock can do to someone, the company went as far as to use the media and also advertised with cartoons on TV channels so as to highlight the risks involved in stealing current.”
The issue of persons stealing electricity has became a norm, particularly in depressed communities.
According to a GPL official, about 70 percent of Sophia residents are obtaining electricity illegally.
But GPL staffers are fearful to go there to disconnect illegal wires, since they are often subjected to threats and even physical violence.
Illegal connections have caused death and destruction to property.
In December 2017, eight-year-old Damion Wilson was electrocuted at his home in Sophia after coming into contact with an exposed electrical wire, which had been rigged up illegally.
David Skeet of Tiger Bay suffered a similar fate. He was electrocuted after touching an electrical wire that was said to have been installed by a neighbour.
In August, 2008, 50-year-old Danny Chattergoon, of Recess, Mahaicony died while rigging up wires that the GPL had disconnected.
According to reports, a GPL crew disconnected the power supply to Chattergoon’s home some time ago.
But his son was in the practice of illegally reconnecting the power supply to the house.
Chattergoon would reconnect the wires on those nights when his son would be at work. But something went wrong when Chattergoon attempted to reconnect the wires and he was electrocuted.
In April, 2009, Troy Greene, called Skeebow, of Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara, was allegedly installing an illegal electrical contraption at home when he was electrocuted.
In June, 2008, Elton Dutchin’s brother
Found his sibling’s body in a trench Covent Garden Sea Dam, East Bank Demerara
Reports state that Dutchin normally worked as a handyman in the neighbourhood. According to the police, he was apparently running illegal wires for someone and was electrocuted.
Last April, Ezekiel Halley, a 19-year-old labourer, of Airy Hall, Mahaicony, met his demise while making an illegal connection to a utility pole, approximately 30 feet from his mother’s residence.
His sister found his body, with the wire wrapped around his hand.
According to the law, persons caught stealing electricity can be jailed or fined.
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