Regulator to hold public hearings on new GTT bill -Telephone company says it will only answer questions on that

Sep 10, 2019 News

The utilities regulator is set to hold a hearing Thursday on the new billing format used by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

GTT says it will be attending Thursday’s public hearings on its new format for customers’ bills but will only answer questions pertaining to that.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in its notice said that based on its own motion and on a complaint by consumer advocate, Ramon Gaskin, it will conduct an investigation.
However, GTT is insisting that it will only be addressing particulars of the complaint.
Also to be discussed are matters connected with the issue, PUC had said.
The hearing will be held at the Cara Lodge, Quamina Street.
On July 5th, GTT wrote PUC informing them that effective May 2019, a new bill formatted was disseminated to residential customers living in and out of Georgetown.
The bill provides a summary of all charges for the specific month that it refers.
However, following a notice, on September 5th, 2019 the US-controlled telephone company wrote PUC’s chairperson, Dela Britton, indicating that the notice that it has received has not indicated the reason why the hearing and what exactly are the issues that are being investigated by the Commission.
The notice of the investigation and ‘other matters connected with and/or incidental thereto…’ is not instructive as to what is the exact nature and purpose of these proceedings, Mark Reynolds, VP Legal and Regulatory Affairs wrote to PUC.
“As it is, based on the notice GTT would only be addressing the particulars of Ramon Gaskin’s complaint as is.”
PUC as the regulator has powers to summon utility companies to answer for complaints about their performance.
Over the years, the regulator has brought in the Guyana Water Inc., the Guyana Power and Light Inc. and GTT to explain.