Stubbs woman in tangle over electrical wires
A frustrated woman of Stubbs who has endured weeks of electrical problems is seeking answers to her woes.{{more}}
Gweneth Dennie-Alexis told SEARCHLIGHT her problems began three weeks ago, when she noticed that electrical wires attached to poles near her home, were tangled in trees which have been obscuring their path.
During the recent heavy rain and winds, Alexis said that the wires would rub together, causing fire to spark from them.
In an effort to have the problem resolved, Alexis went first to the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), who referred her to the Forestry Department, to inquire about the cutting of the trees. She was then told to go to VINLEC.
At VINLEC, Alexis said she related her problems to personnel who explained that a team will investigate the problem. She said she was told that the trees needed to be cut, but that VINLEC does not deal with the cutting of the trees. She was then referred to someone named Rudy, who usually cuts trees. Alexis said she was further told that information had been sent to Rudy about the trees, but it was not clear how long it would take to have the trees cut.
During that period, fire sparks from the clashing wires persisted and Alexis related that she became frustrated as she was being given the run around with no solution to her problem.
It was on Saturday, August 7, 2009, that damage was done to Alexisâ electrical meter.
Alexis said at some time during the late evening, she was upstairs her home painting, when the electricity went off and remained off until Sunday. She initially thought that the electricity had gone, but when she travelled a short distance to the main road on the Sunday evening, she saw lights on in the area.
Upon further inspection, she noted that the meter box at her home had apparently caught afire and had burnt, with the main wire charred.
The following Monday she said she went to VINLEC to explain her situation.
âI told them I donât have any current and I donât know whatâs wrong,â Alexis said. She was told that a team would be sent to investigate the problem.
Alexis related that upon speaking with someone from VINLEC, that person explained to her that the wire attached to the meter had been cut.
But she told SEARCHLIGHT this is hard to believe, because the ends of the wires are completely charred and she does not believe anyone will purposely cut her wires.
âI have been living down there for so long, I donât know anyone who would go and cut wires,â Alexis said.
She added that she was told that she would need an electrician to reconnect the wires before VINLEC reconnects her electricity.
Alexis is however convinced that if the problem had been addressed earlier, the box would not have been burnt, and the problem would have been avoided all together. She is troubled that her house, which is very close to the meter, may have been burnt if the box had not burnt out.
Manager of VINLECâs Customer Service Department, Steven Wyllie, on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, said the problem was being investigated. In another call on Thursday Wyllie said that the problem has been resolved and Alexis was advised to seek the advice of the police as there have been reported instances of someone mischievously cutting wires in that area.
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