Government’s Empty 11th Hour Promises Cannot Excuse GPL’s Collapse

Dear Editor,

The Vice President’s recent remarks on the failures of Guyana Power and Light (GPL) once again expose the hypocrisy and short-sightedness of the current administration. While Bharrat Jagdeo expresses frustration with GPL’s daily excuses and promises a “management shake-up” if the PPP/C wins the next elections, one cannot ignore the glaring fact that GPL’s failures are the direct result of years of poor government leadership and political interference.

For over two decades, successive PPP/C administrations have poured billions of taxpayer dollars into GPL without producing meaningful improvements. Blackouts remain a daily reality, businesses continue to suffer losses, and ordinary Guyanese are left literally in the dark. To now feign outrage and call for a shake-up is nothing more than political theater—an attempt to deflect from the fact that the government has been at the helm of GPL’s decline all along.

Excuses about lightning strikes, heavy machinery coming into contact with the lines, or even technical limitations cannot mask the truth.  The utility’s collapse stems from lack of vision, chronic underinvestment in technical capacity, failure to address system losses, neglect in maintenance resulting in over 75,000 decaying/damaged poles, lack of adequate protection to avoid total country shutdowns, and reliance on quick fixes instead of long-term solutions. Even the Vice President’s admission that he is “tired of the excuses” rings hollow, because it is under his government’s watch that GPL has become synonymous with unreliability and public aggravation.

If the government truly believes consumers are not getting value for money after all the funds injected, then it must also admit that it has failed in its oversight and leadership of GPL. A promise of a “management shift” after the next election is not a solution, it is an admission of guilt and an attempt to buy more time from a weary public. Guyanese deserve more than angry soundbites and hollow promises.

What is needed is independent, professional management free from political meddling, transparent accountability for GPL’s failures, and a clear, measurable roadmap to modernise the grid and meet the country’s growing energy demands. Appointing the attorney general’s brother, whose sole attribute is his birth certificate, to lead the company is a dereliction of duty to country and places a premium on cronyism.

Until then, Jagdeo’s frustrations are nothing more than a smokescreen. The truth is clear – GPL’s dysfunction is not just a utility problem, it is a leadership problem and the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the government. The company’s failures aren’t mere service disruptions; they are a fundamental hindrance to Guyana’s development. As citizens, we deserve better than empty assurances and perpetual blackouts.

Yours truly,
Colin Welch
Former Chief Executive Officer
Guyana Power and Light

Former General Manager
General Motors Corporation
Asia Pacific Operations – SC Management
Former Executive – Eaton Corporation
Electrical Group