Moonilal: T&TEC brutal to poor people  

The MP for Oropouche East has labelled the TT Electricity Commission (T&TEC) as being heartless and brutal, accusing it of cutting off poor and vulnerable people’s service during the covid19 pandemic.

In a media statement on Thursday, Dr Roodal Moonilal charged that while the Prime Minister was "touting" the Government’s response to the covid19 pandemic, T&TEC was cutting its service to constituents.

"It cannot be that the Government is asking citizens to stay at home and cutting their electricity! What do they do at home? Light candles? This is insane," Moonilal said.

The Opposition MP said he recently learnt that similar disconnections are taking place in other areas. T&TEC pounced on several struggling and defenceless citizens, he said, forcing them to spend nights without a power supply.

"In one amazing case T&TEC said it 'made a mistake and did not see an online payment.’ The electricity disconnection took place even as the Prime Minister was attempting to present a humane government response to the medical emergency."

There seems to be a confusing disconnect between the state enterprises and the Cabinet, and greater policy cohesion and collaboration is required at this historic moment, he suggested, to ensure public policy implementation.

Moonilal called on the Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte to immediately instruct the company to stop the practice at once. Moonilal has also written a letter to Le Hunte on the issue.
"This action is grossly irresponsible and callous and reveals a disturbing detachment between the PNM Government and state agencies. T&TEC’s cold and insensitive step also undermines much of the Government’s initiatives during this critical period."

Moonilal also called on T&TEC to display compassion and sensitivity as well as to stop disconnecting customers at this "challenging time." A senior official at T&TEC promised to respond to Moonilal's claims.