SERIOUS!? / Ivan Cairo
For the umpteenth time, society was confronted on Monday with the union’s dismissal of work at the EBS. I do not know to what extent this action has had a negative impact on electricity drawers. What I do know is that ordinary citizens can once again enjoy a conflict for which no one apparently really feels responsible.
What does emerge is that communication appears to be the basis for the problems between the union and management at the state-owned company. The union complains that the management, with Leo as the absolute leader, does not respond to the content of his letters. Letters that are probably politely received somewhere, read… and then lovingly ignored. Maybe that is the new communication strategy: silence as policy.
“EBS, a heads up in advance prevents a lot of misery for your consumers“
While this ‘non-communicative’ – I don’t know if this word exists – situation has been going on for months, Energy Minister Abiamofo calmly told the press last week that he is not interfering with the ‘kese kese‘, the internal quarrel, at the EBS. If the minister does not interfere, who should? Mama Brunswijk again? Or should we as citizens set up a mediation committee ourselves, between candlelight and power banks?
To what extent what happens in some neighborhoods, at least where I live in the Welgelegen area, has to do with that internal one kese kese I don’t know. What I do know is that it has almost become a tradition that the energy supply is interrupted at least once every week: without prior notice. Not for an hour, but often at least six. Anyone who knows this in advance can take precautions. But the EBS seems to prefer to test its consumers on their ability to improvise.
I’m now starting to wonder whether my audio/video receiver, although it is at least ten years old, is having difficulty turning on lately as a result of the EBS on-off policy. Perhaps the apparatus simply shows solidarity with the population and refuses to cooperate any longer under these circumstances.
Before writing this column, just to be sure, I checked the EBS website to see if there was an announcement for maintenance work in my residential area yesterday. I did not see this – but I did see it for other areas – and will therefore have to assume that it concerns force majeure in my district. But when this force majeure has been happening for several weeks, it becomes difficult for me to believe.
EBS, a heads up in advance prevents a lot of misery for your consumers. And if it really concerns force majeure, reporting it on the website as soon as it occurs does absolutely no harm. Until then, we will continue to practice life without electricity here in Welgelegen for a few hours a week.
*read also ‘President promises serious attention to protracted conflict between union and EBS management: ‘If it is up to us, the general manager can leave’
