Poor customer service in Guyana

Sep 16, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

It is always difficult and challenging to receive proper and reliable services in Guyana when dealing with both private and public sector institutions. I have interacted with GTT, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the National Accreditation Council and National Insurance Scheme over the years and I would rate their service as medium to substandard. GRA, GPL and the Immigration Office are special cases that stand alone and warrant their own commentary.

However, they all exhibit the same symptom symptoms: disorganization, inefficiency and a lackadaisical approach. For now, I would like to describe my experiences with four of the aforementioned institutions which are listed below.

GUYANA TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH

I wish to bring to your attention the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company rebranded as One Communications. My recent interaction with them has been totally frustrating and disappointing. On 14 August 2025 I visited their Fogarty location to pay for a modem and to reconnect my DSL service. I spent at least 90 minutes completing this transaction.

The service was marked by disorganisation, and inefficiency to customer care. Customer faces were filled with frustration and disgust as a result of the limited number of cashiers on duty and the long line. A slight commotion broke out when a walk-in customer bypassed the queue and went directly to the cashier. Due to connectivity issues, I was transferred from one cashier to the next where I paid for my modem only and was provided with a receipt ($9,000). I did not pay my reconnection fees since I had insufficient cash. As observed, most cashiers were experiencing connectivity issues and power disruption.

On 20 August 2025 I paid the reconnection fee ($14,300) for my DSL service and was assured that my service would be restored within the next 48 hours. From the 22 August 2025 to 3 September 2025, I reported the matter 4 times about not receiving service. The online agents log my complaint but no corrective action. The last agent tried to reset my router internally but was unsuccessful.

Each time I made contact with online support, I am at least 116 persons in queue waiting to be served. When I am connected with an online agent, the agents ask the same question as the AI chatbox; however, these answers were already provided to the AI chatbox. The average time spent on receiving assistance inclusive of waiting time would be at least 80 minutes.

On 3 September 2025 both my wife and I once more reached out to them on 0488 and 0664. The staff affirmed my wife that a technician would be dispatched within two weeks. I was elated that the technician came the following day at 6 am. He examined the router configuration and returned with a colleague at around 10am. Before leaving, they successfully resolved the situation and explained the DNS had to be reset. On 8 September 2025, I received an invoice requesting the payment of $9,892 due on 17 September 2025 or service will be discontinued. When I queried the invoice on 11 September, 2025, it was explained that I was billed for a modem ($9,000) which I originally paid for. Now I am required to provide my receipt to resolve this issue which I cannot locate, but I can identify the staff whom I made payment to. Despite being a Certified Public Accountant it’s not my nature to keep receipt for every transaction.

I thought I could rely on their internal systems, but that is even hopeless and I just waste a thought. This situation adds yet another layer of frustration to an already exhausting experience with One Communication. I believed that by rebranding as One Communication would lead to an improvement in service quality.

However, it has become evident that despite the name change, the underlying issues remain unchanged. It appears that upper management believes a new name can mask operational inefficiencies, but it serves as a superficial disguise for deeper systemic problems. The public sector mentality and culture still remains. A leopard cannot change its spots.

I urge everyone who conducted a payment with One Communication at the Fogarty location on 14 August 2025 to double check their accounts to ensure they are correct and that all payments have been accounted for. You may be a victim of internal fraud.

At this point One Communication presents One Big Problem to the whole of Guyana presenting more problems than solutions.

GUYANA LANDS AND SURVEYS COMMISSION

On another soaring and chronic issue, I wish to divert your attention to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. I believe that this Institution has outlived its usefulness, is inept, unethical and highly inefficient. The manner and way this Institution operates are symptoms of greater and underlying systemic problems which continue to plague this nation. This agency is riddled with poor and unethical practices which no one wants to weed out. Over the years, it has continued unabated.

For the past 20 years my father, Tekaram Misir, has been trying to obtain title to his rice lands. In 2004 he engaged Mr. Michael Huston, a sworn land surveyor, from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission to survey and divide a plot of rice land and to file his application for title. Whilst the process was executed by Mr. Hutson, my father developed subsequent concerns as to the accuracy and division of his rice land. Acting on my father’s concerns I decided, in 2005, to remeasure and recomputed the division and allocation of the rice land. My computation revealed that my father received at least one acre less which confirmed his suspicion. The land was not divided equally as intended; the other party received this portion. What was described on the application was totally different from what physically exists.

Subsequent follow-ups by my father revealed that his application for title was never filed. After repeated and constant running to and from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission to rectify this matter, he was further advised that the entire process had to be redone which also meant incurring the same surveying costs once more. My father complied with all their requirements, and they are extremely slothful in granting his title.

To address their slothfulness, my father visited senior government officials within the Current Administration. Despite the government’s intervention, the instructions have not been acted upon by Commissioner Enrique Monize and Mr. Michael Hutson. My father now is in poor health. More than 20 years have passed, yet no title has been issued. To add insult to injury, over the years my father has been paying rice cultivation fees and rates and taxes for land not within his possession. This is the plight of a poor and uneducated man. It is very challenging for the common man to receive proper service here in Guyana and even harder when you are uneducated.

Regardless of the controversies surrounding staff at public institutions, it is evident that inefficiency and unethical practices are often overlooked and, in most cases, even rewarded through promotion to higher positions.

National Accreditation Council of Guyana

My brief interaction with this institution revealed that their systems are outdated and they are lagging behind time. Given the rapid pace of development, this is a precarious position to be in.

In 2023, I sought to have my foreign MSc in Forensic Accounting evaluated for equivalency to Guyanese academic standards. After compiling all required documents and traveling to their Barima Avenue location, I was told by the staff that I needed to deposit an evaluation fee of $5,000 into their commercial bank account located on Water Street. It was a hassle to travel to the NAC location, and an additional inconvenience to get to their bank and wait in line just to make a payment. Like other employees, I am also required to seek approval for time off to conduct personal transactions.

I asked the staff if I could pay cash, but she told me that customers had to deposit funds into their bank account. Then the deposit slip must be presented as proof of payment. It’s their policy. I told that it was terrible that management did not trust their employees to collect $5,000 in cash. Due to the difficulties and inefficiency, I did not proceed with this evaluation. On the same day, I contacted a NACES evaluation member, uploaded my qualification online, paid by debit card and received my academic equivalency report within two days.

The NAC policy did not cater for eventualities where persons would be unaware of this requirement. If management were proactive and forward thinking, a simple solution could be devised in which cash is collected on premises, a receipt issued and collections are promptly deposited followed by the implementation of additional security measures if needed. Many institutions have this basic model. An ideal model would be an online system like those used by NACES members. Given the NAC structure the ideal model would take time to realize, however, making a simple start by amending the policy will allow for greater efficiency.

NATIONAL INSURANCE SCHEME

Over the years, my dealings with the National Insurance Scheme have been frustrating and completely disappointing. I’ve always found their service to be slow, with long wait times and their environment congested. You have to spend an inordinate amount of time to execute a simple transaction. Even after the transaction is completed, staff call to request additional documentation or your claims will not be reimbursed. In my cases, I found these additional requirements to be petty, ridiculous and time consuming. In my recent dealing with them, I was sick and submitted a multitude of receipts for reimbursement.

My surname was misspelled on one receipt by a single letter, instead of an “i” the doctor placed an “e” then probably realizing his error added a dot on top. The NIS office rejected this claim. When I questioned it, the staff said the correct name had to be stated or it could be a different person. I asked how this issue can be rectified. The staff replied that I should obtain another copy of the doctor’s receipt with my correct name.

As an employee, I have to request time off to return to the doctor and then drop it off at NIS, where I join another long line.

Many times I have reasons to question the sanity of these staff and have to conclude that they are sicker than those medical claims they are investigating. I complied with their because it was a different medical condition I developed and wanted to log it as an audit trail for future reference in their records as proof of a pre-existing condition to avoid future medical claim rejection in the absence of a history. On other occasions, I don’t seek reimbursement due to constant hassle.

The NIS office staff should understand that when patients are sick and in need of medical attention, their health comes first, not the accuracy of their receipts. A sickly person cannot check every detail on their receipt. Your internal policy must be adaptable and designed to allow reasonable exceptions. Furthermore, while I don’t mind waiting for service at any institution, slow and inefficient internal processes adds to customer frustration.

CONCLUSION

The level of confidence and trust placed in institutions is slowly diminishing. Institutions and their actors must be held to higher standards of accountability and stewardship. Actors must be trust worthy and honest and their records must withstand public scrutiny.

The delivery of services should be smooth, transparent and efficient with minimal room for corruption and fraudulent behavior. The system must be both forward looking and dynamic in order to accommodate the evolving environment.

Stronger governance, ethical leadership and robust internal controls are increasingly important across all institutions.

It is difficult to regain trust and confidence once they have been lost.

Yours faithfully,
GANESHRAM MISIR
Certified Public Accountant
FCPA, FCCA, ACA, CMA, CPFA, CFE

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

GANESHRAM MISIR, GTT, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Poor customer service, Public Accountant

One thought on “Poor customer service in Guyana”

habeeb September 16, 2025 at 3:30 pm

Mr. Misir is just simply frustrated, like everyone else.
With all those ” titles” attached to his name, I thought he could have been
a medical professional.
Mr. Misir, Guyana is still operating under a “colonial system” that hasn’t seen
change since 1966 Independence, except- OIL is KING.
The “personnel” move slower than our very own MOLASSES everywhere you
came into contact. However, the Country is moving ahead as the” fastest
growing” in the World, for some, not all. At this pace, everything else will
be catching up but, it takes time, while “time” seem not to wait for anyone.
Have faith and patience Sir. The Banks still need 5-10 pieces ID ?

Comments are closed.

Latest News