Latest update February 10th, 2025 5:23 AM
GPL’s board reverses decision to sack two directors
The Board of Directors for the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has reversed a decision to sack two senior executives earlier this week. Yesterday, during an emergency meeting of the board, a motion was tabled to have the men reinstated.
Director of Human Resources, Bal Persaud
Deputy CEO, Renford Homer
However, it was reported, at least two directors wanted the men gone.
Sacked earlier this week were Human Resources Director, Bal Persaud, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer with responsibility for administration, Renford Homer.
A few members of the board, who said that they were in the dark, had requested that an urgent board meeting be convened, as they were not aware of the decisions.
It was disclosed yesterday, by GPL sources, that the Chief Executive Officer, Albert Gordon, will now have to recall the two executives, who were also board members.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, which has charge of the power sector, had said it was unaware of the decision, according to officials familiar with the situation.
GPL Chairman, Rawle Lucas
Reportedly asked to hand over his keys and Nissan X-trail vehicle on Thursday was Persaud. His contract would have been expiring in December. He was reportedly summoned to the CEO’s office and handed a letter ending his contract.
Homer, who performed the CEO’s functions for months before Gordon, a Jamaican, was hired, did not have a contract, as this had expired a few months ago.
Sources disclosed that on Wednesday, GPL Chairman, Rawle Lucas, wrote Board members and informed them that based on the advice of the CEO, a decision had been taken not to renew the contracts of the two officials.
One member questioned whether the decisions were in keeping with the proper procedures.
One official told Kaieteur News that one thing is sure – there was no meeting of the Board of Directors to okay the decisions.
GPL has been coming under fire for decades now for failure to halt the blackout plague due to generator failures as well as transmission and distribution problems.
As recent as over the weekend, the state-owned company announced that it had ran out of fuel, forcing a decision to cut power to several communities on the coastland.
GPL blamed the problem on a delay in a fuel shipment of Heavy Fuel Oil.
The company has been asking for over US$100M to solve generation problems and fix other faults in the medium term.
Government has said that it is looking at natural gas from its oil fields and renewable energy in the long term to fulfill its energy needs.
In the case of GPL, under consecutive administrations, the company has been rated as the worst utility in terms of service.
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