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‘Do not pay rates’ – PUC“Don’t pay and we will disconnect’ – GWICEO of GWI, Karan Singh The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) are at loggerheads in relation to the charge that consumers pay GWI for its water services.The PUC, in a statement yesterday, advised customers not to pay any additional charge for water which they consume from GWI, since the entity has been receiving complaints from consumers that they are charged inflated and exorbitant rates above what they are legally required to pay.“The commission advises all consumers not to pay any additional, inflated or illegal charge for water they have consumed,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale China, which may appear on their bills and which were not approved by the commission.“If consumers feel that GWI persists and interferes with their services,cheap nfl jerseys china, they should seek the intervention of the commission,” the statement noted.However, at a press conference held yesterday at GWI’s head office in Kingston, Chief Executive Officer of GWI, Karan Singh, said that if customers do not pay their bills, then the water company will act within its legal boundaries and disconnect consumers.The PUC, in a release yesterday,cheap nfl jerseys online, stated that the commission had spoken and written to Singh concerning the complaints received, and even invited GWI officials to attend the commission, so that the matter can be addressed, but neither Singh nor any of his representatives turned up.When questioned about this at the press conference, the CEO retorted,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale, “I think the PUC and its officers were either sleeping or dreaming. We attended that public hearing. I went to the hearing… I vividly remember Pat Dyal, Raymond Gaskin, and Eileen Cox who were all there and told us afterwards that they were satisfied that GWI has explained and articulated their position…But it’s only the PUC who doesn’t seem to get our position.”Singh is of the belief that the water company is not overcharging customers, as he explained that consumers are charged more since they have moved from one band to a higher band, because they have upgraded their property.“Do we go to the PUC and seek their approval every time a customer moves from one band to another? Then they might as well run the water company, because that is what they want to do by their own actions,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China Online,” the CEO told reporters.Singh said that it is grossly irresponsible of the PUC to take a one-sided and high-handed approach in sending out a press release to that effect.“How would a consumer determine whether the payment is additional, inflated or illegal? All that this is doing is to open the flood gates for consumers not to pay their water service charges. This is going to create havoc for the entity of GWI, and we will be hard – pressed to deal with customers who are going to believe that their bills are inflated. We do not take kindly to this press release.”The water company is reminding consumers that, if they do not pay their bills,wholesale jerseys china, they will leave GWI no other choice but to disconnect their water service.“We respect the functions of the PUC, but we will not respect the PUC as a consumer advocate…It is a regulatory body, and if they have evidence that GWI is charging any consumers more than they have to pay, they have to come with tangible evidence,” Singh noted.He explained that, for too long, customers have taken water for granted, and now they are being protected by the PUC. Singh urged the commission to act responsibly when making public statements, as these can have a negative impact on the water company.According to the CEO, currently the water company’s lawyers are advising GWI on what their rights are, and if the need arises, then they will file the appropriate injunction to restrain the PUC from making such publications.“It does more harm than good… day by day we are dealing with the public who are bent on causing discomfort to the entity. Have you ever heard the PUC talk about the extravagant bills from GPL?They are after us unfairly, and I will not sit by as head of this entity and tolerate that… we will fight for our rights,NFL Jerseys Outlet From China,” Singh said.He added that rather than the PUC support the water company, it is being more aggressive in finding faults with GWI. |
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