VINLEC CEO provides feedback to suppliers

Contributors to the recently concluded VINLEC Energy Awareness exhibition were last week told how their equipment performed at the event. {{more}}

On February 5, businesses which contributed to the showcase were briefed by VINLEC CEO Thornley Myers, during a brunch at the Paradise Beach Hotel.

Myers did not single out individual companies publicly, but said that VINLEC would enlighten the suppliers separately.

He told those gathered that his company is extremely happy that the suppliers were involved in the exercise, which was held at the Voyager building in Kingstown, from last November to the end of January. He also said that the objectives of the company were achieved.

“I will say overall, there is nothing that we found out that is alarming, that any member of the public or any supplier needs to be uneasy about. Our findings were in keeping with some of our expectations, so there is nothing for you to get alarmed about.

“I will simply say that where we see specific concerns, we will go directly to the supplier and say ‘let us work together’”.

Myers touched on a number of appliances which were displayed at the exhibition, including television sets, irons, transformers, deep freezers, refrigerators and light bulbs. The appliances were connected for the duration of the exhibition, and were not allowed to be interfered with.

“Therefore, I need to alert our customers… you would expect that if you have these appliances at your home, the energy consumption would be higher… so this only gives an idea of what, in a very controlled environment, what the energy consumption would be.”

Claiming that visitors left the venue informed, updated and with many leaving positive feedback, which would be used in future conservation awareness initiatives, the CEO thanked the suppliers for their contribution to the effort and said he looked forward to future collaborations.

“It has been a partnership, and we want this partnership to continue,” Myers stated.

Chairman of the VINLEC Board of Directors René Baptiste thanked the suppliers for responding to the exercise, which showed that partnerships work.

“In this case, it was not only a good example of such a partnership, but it is one where we were sometimes challenged; imagine VINLEC teaching people how to reduce their bill so that we would get less money.

“We don’t mind that part of the equation; what is important is that when you look and see how much money is spent now on the fuel, that is of great concern to us in our multi island state, because of the cost of having to meet that cost on a monthly basis, and at the end of the year, when we look at how much money leaves the state, that type of experience is very sobering.”

Baptiste also thanked the staff stationed at the exhibition, whom she said proved to be an outstanding team.

The exercise, which cost over $100,000 to stage, was a worthwhile investment, Baptiste said.

The suppliers present were presented with plaques of appreciation, for their contribution to the project. The suppliers were C.D. Veira (Singer), Y De Lima, Courts St Vincent Ltd, Aces, Trotman’s Electronics, and Finishing and Furnishing Ltd.