GWI records increase in revenue; $3B outstanding

At the end of June 2018, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has seen an increase in revenue from $1.8 Billion in 2017 to $2B in 2018.

At a press conference on Friday, Revenue and Customer Services Director, Marlon Daniels said the company has seen a continual increase from 2016 onwards.  He credited to a heightened metering programme and a better data management system.

Managing Director of the agency, Dr. Van West-Charles explained that the company is now “disaggregating the data sets to the point that we are now able to discern customers in each of the zone –which of the customers are paying in the first 31 days, those paying between 31 and 60 days and those paying later than 90 days.”

The data, he added, will be helpful as the company moves to increase tariffs in October 2018.

However, it was disclosed that the company is still owed $3B in total.

Nigel Niles, GWI’s Director of Corporate Services and Company Lawyer, said there are over 1000 customers who owe in excess of $100,000 each and the company has begun filing legal actions.

“We have started to issue demand letters and also file actions. We started in Berbice and in fact, this morning (Friday, August 03, 2018) we got three judgments in Berbice against customers who owe us in excess of $100,000,” Niles said.

Dr. Van West-Charles pointed out tht the defaulters’ information are also being shared with CreditInfo Guyana.

“So once you owe us and you go to the bank or you go to courts to have access to credit, your name comes up as a bad customer,” he pointed out.

Questions were posed as it relates to going after commercial customers more than domestic customers to which the Managing Director said commercial customers are being prioritized for meters.

He said in approving the tariff increases, the Public Utilities Commission mandated that the water company install a total of 12,000 meters.