Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has announced a new board for state owned new Power Producer and Distribution Incorporated (PPDI), which replaced Wartsila.
During a Post-Cabinet briefing today, at the Ministry of the Presidency, the Minister told the media operatives that the new Board of Directors will only be responsible for the operations and maintenance of GPL’s engines.
The new board of directors for the PPDI includes Mark Bender as Chairperson, Aaron Fraser as Vice Chairman, Ronald Burch- Smith- Secretary and other board members including Harryram Parmesar, Stephen Fraser, Amanza Walton- Desir, Derlyn Klass, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and an Opposition party member.
During 2016, the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson had announced the new company which became fully active in 2017. The Minister stated that the operations and maintenance of the engines were previously managed by Guyanese workers at the Wartsila Company and, “it is felt that we need to invest in our own people, it’s important that we give them the assurance that as a government we support them and we expect them to produce at the level we are accustomed to.”
Partterson added that the state owned PPDI Company replaced the Wartsila Company whose contract with GPL came to an end in December 2016. This new company will save GPL money that were previously paid to Wartsila and will provide an improvement in remuneration for the employees at PPDI.
Additionally, the Board of Industrial Training and the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety will also see changes with a new board.
