Cable vandalism leaves north Georgetown without phone, internet services

Last Updated on Thursday, 11 September 2025, 22:55 by Writer

One Communications (Guyana), formerly GTT, says a major section of north and central Georgetown was left without service after thieves targeted communications cables.

In what One Communications has described as one of the most severe disruptions for the year due to vandalism, the company says the latest occurred on Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

While the company’s emergency teams are working around the clock to restore service, it emphasised that a key long-term solution is customer migration to fibre in designated areas. “These acts of vandalism undermine safety, disrupts education, and slows economic growth,” the company added. “This is now a national crisis that requires collective action from all stakeholders, law enforcement, regulators, businesses, communities, and citizens alike.

The company confirmed that copper vandalism has surged in 2025, now responsible for nearly half of all service interruptions. Alarmingly, vandals have also damaged sections of the fibre network, mistaking them for copper.

One Communications says this reckless destruction has left households and businesses disconnected, highlighting the growing seriousness of the issue.“This is not simply theft, it is a direct attack on people’s ability to work, study, stay in touch with loved ones, and feel safe in their communities,” said Richard Stanton, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of One Communications. “The vandals who struck in Bourda are part of a troubling national trend that is putting our entire communications network at risk.”

Documented incidents of cable vandalism stretch across Guyana, including in South and North Ruimveldt, Lodge, Werk en Rust, Albouystown, Bourda, South and North Cummingsburg, Subryanville, Kingston and several East Bank communities.

Images and videos show cables slashed and poles stripped, sometimes during the day time.

One Communications is urging the public to play an active role by reporting any suspicious activity through hotline 0663 and by staying updated via the company’s social media channels.

To strengthen the national response, One Communications says it is working in partnership with regulators including the Office of the Prime Minister, the Scrap Metal Unit and the Guyana Police Force to curb the trade in stolen copper and to bring perpetrators to justice.

One Communications reassures its customers that despite these challenges, the company remains fully committed to delivering reliable and secure connectivity, and thanks all customers for their patience and cooperation as prevention and restoration efforts continue.