The PPPC must accept responsibility for the present electricity crisis

Apr 13, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – Jagdeo has more excuses than a politician caught in a scandal. But no amount of blame-shedding and sand-dancing will exculpate the PPPC from responsibility for its utter incompetent administration of the electricity sector.

Guyana is now in the midst of a frustrating and ongoing electricity crisis. Households and businesses are subject to blackouts and power interruptions. The situation has become exasperating and people are fed up.

Since the PPPC returned to government, there has been an excess of ribbon-cutting, sod-turning, and ceremonial launchings. Almost every day there is one such event. Rather than indulging in these superficial spectacles, the time and resources allocated   could have been redirected towards tackling the pressing issues facing our nation.

But far worse than these events is the reluctance of Jagdeo to accept the government’s responsibility for the failures plaguing the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL). Instead of doing so, he goes on his usual rant, blaming the previous administration, particularly the APNU+AFC, for the current state of affairs.

At the heart of the electricity crisis is a fundamental lack of political accountability on the part of the government. Despite being in power for four years, they have failed to address the longstanding problems within GPL, including what they say is poor maintenance practices and inadequate infrastructure.

One of the key failures is the PPPC’s shortcomings in properly planning the expansion of generating capacity to meet growing demand. Despite being aware of the need for additional generators, they have been slow to act, resulting in delays and disruptions to the supply of electricity. The recent revelation that a number of generators, purchased by the government since last year, remain uninstalled is a glaring example of this mismanagement.

The government’s response to the crisis has been woefully inadequate. Instead of conducting an independent evaluation of the problems facing GPL, they have opted for a band-aid solution by appointing a team of Ministers to monitor the utility on a daily basis. This approach is not only ineffective but also undermines the independence of GPL as a public corporation.

The decision to task a group of Ministers, rather than qualified engineers, with overseeing GPL’s operations is deeply concerning. It raises questions about the government’s motives and introduces the risk of increasing political interference in the management of the utility. The public has a right to know that decisions regarding GPL are being made in their best interests, free from political meddling.

When addressing generating problems, it is best to engage technical experts rather than relying solely on government Ministers. Technical persons possess the specialized knowledge and expertise required to diagnose and resolve problems and challenges within power generation systems. By entrusting the task to qualified engineers and technicians, rather than political figures, there can be solutions based on sound technical merit rather than political expediency.

By now it should be obvious to even the blind, that the government’s handling of the emergency generation procurement process was marred by an underestimation of country’s energy needs. The government we are now told is being forced to again scramble to obtain additional generating capacity.

This is indicative of a lack of foresight and planning. It is utterly unacceptable that the government’s failure to adequately prepare for foreseeable challenges has resulted in further hardships for the Guyanese people.

In order to regain public confidence and address the electricity crisis, the PPP/C government must take immediate and decisive action. This includes, foremost, accepting responsibility for the failures within GPL and committing to addressing them without resorting to partisan blame games. It also must involve conducting a thorough and independent assessment of GPL’s operations to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary reforms. But as we know the government is reluctant to do so, most likely because of what such findings will expose.

Instead of reading the Riot Act, heads should have been rolled?

Going forward, the government must ensure that decisions regarding GPL are made by qualified experts rather than political appointees, in order to safeguard the utility’s independence and integrity. They must equally develop a comprehensive plan for expanding and modernizing Guyana’s electricity infrastructure to meet current and future demand. Even the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) recognizes that after 1928, there will be a need for another major project for the generation of renewable energy.

Only by accepting responsibility and taking decisive action can the PPPC government begin to restore public confidence and ensure a reliable and sustainable electricity supply for all Guyanese citizens. Anything less would be a further disservice to the people of Guyana.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• administration, Households, Peeping Tom, politician, scandal

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