By CHESTER ROBARDS
Tribune Senior Reporter
crobards@tribunemedia.net
THE new BEC chairman Leslie Miller said yesterday he hopes to lower electricity costs for Bahamians through strategies he attempted to implement when he was Minister of Trade and Industry from 2002-2007 - namely Venezuelan oil and Liquefied Natural Gas.
Mr Miller said fossil fuels will be the way forward for the foreseeable future for the Bahamas' primary power producer. And he is determined to find the best deals in the region.
Mr Miller's hopes of the Bahamas joining Petrocaribe (a Venezuelan oil association) were shot down during the final years of the PLP's last term as government.
"We need to now look at an oil producing country to satisfy the demands of BEC and throughout the country as a whole," he said.
Mr Miller also discussed plans to meet with Chinese suppliers of solar power to explore its viability.
His push to bring Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to the country was also largely frowned upon during his time as minister.
However, Mr Miller said former naysayers are now giving the nod of approval to the idea of bringing LNG in to power the country, out of a need for reduced electricity costs.
"I was amazed at how the Bahamian people have come around," he said.
Mr Miller said his first priority as the new chairman of BEC is to determine its financial position, which he lamented is "not in the healthiest of states".
The next step, he added, is to determine what mixture of power production will allow BEC to reduce its $360 million per year fuel bill.
"We are looking at all sectors of the product mix," Mr Miller said.
On the back burner in terms of alternative energy sources, according to Mr Miller, are ocean thermal and wind energy, both of which were being explored by the previous government.
He contended those technologies are far too expensive to justify their implementation here in the Bahamas.
"With those things the cost is almost prohibitive," he said.
He insisted, however, that the government will take steps to ensure that the public is properly educated in energy conservation and energy saving items and technology that can easily be implemented.
Mr Miller also revealed his fears that the cost of electricity is rendering the country's tourism product less competitive, and he vowed to help change that.
"Overall we are up to the challenge and we look forward to it," he said. "By the end of the year some positive things will happen for all Bahamians. We are just asking them to bear with us a little while, as we run through the maze."
Comments
Tarzan 11 years, 10 months ago
Lowering bills is easy. Sell BEC to a private company. The government will never efficiently operate anything.
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Ok, then like BTC besides the attitude of the staff being poor, the service is ever poorer.
242352 11 years, 10 months ago
Just pay your bill Miller!
That will help the bottom line.
Pay the bill!
B_I_D___ 11 years, 10 months ago
Hehehehehe...
242 11 years, 10 months ago
True
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Yes a bill for a large amount may exist but up to present time if you cant produce his original balance whats the problem. Better yet, show your bill which I'm sure is not a 0 balance. If you and Mr. Miller have anything over '0' dollars balance after a monthly bill has passed then you're in the same boat as him. If someone kills 300 persons and you kill 1, you both are murderers.
dacy 11 years, 10 months ago
FOOLISHNESS....ONE IS A MASS MURDER OR SERIAL MURDER...THE ONE WHO KILLED ONE COULD ALEAST SAY IT WAS ANY ACCIDENT, BUT 300...NO WAY! NOT TODAY!
concernedcitizen 11 years, 10 months ago
the fuel is the same price from chavez ,he just finance it and u pay latter ,for that hugo wants ur alliance against the U/S in the united nations ,,better hurry miller ,hugo nearley dead ,,,bowling alley got free light now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
242352 11 years, 10 months ago
Free light, no pay NIB, water, nothing.
Free ride PLP!!!!
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Well then I hope the prices in the bowling alley go down too then! Cuz he can cut that out of expenses
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Lets see you cut BTC less of one day for the black out then, since you know what a customer should not be charged for. Black Crabs
242 11 years, 10 months ago
You had a bad day at work ay bruh? cuz u all ova my posts
242 11 years, 10 months ago
I thought the PLP hated foreigners though? Oh yeh this Mr. Miller though the one who called Bahamians Stupid
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
You comprehended Dr. Nottage statement to mean pitty crime offenders would NOT be punished, so I see why from Mr. Miller's statement, you comprehend it to mean Bahamians Stupid. Cause YOU REALLY IS STUPID.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
positive back to his insulting angry ways again.....tsk
242 11 years, 10 months ago
You call me stupid yet you suggested the government reenter the telecommunications industry as a competitor to compee with BTC. How do you fund this new phone company? With the revenue from the company you already own 49% of? Or do you sell the 49% and use the money to upstart this brilliant new fully government owned company from scratch?
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
If they start from scratch, whats the problem. The way you guys discribe BTC when it was purchased, its like CWC started from scratch so why cant a BLACK man start a company from scratch. For all you care you should be glad the government sold out the remaining shares cause BTC is just like the Titanic. The selling was the iceberg and eventually it will find its way to the bottom.
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Using just the information from your above comment 242, even if they use funds from the profit they receive from their 49% and referring to my earlier comment I post of open a competing company, you would remember I stated to target one particular set of customers. Therefore they would target customers whom cannot afford this upgrade service from BTC or whom just fed up with BTC on the whole. Now besides the 49% from BTC, they would further collect from the new company they established. Lexus/Toyota, Infiniti/Nissan, Cadillac/GMC, Ford/Lincoln. See the picture I'm painting, those whom can't afford the top model still could obtain a similar and the same company benefits.
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Lexus/Toyota, Cadillac/GMC, Ford/Lincoln, Infiniti/Nissan. Those are the same companies, offering different products.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
You just answered your own question. SAME company different products. Not start a new company to compete with itself. When Toyota close their books Lexus sales are attributed to them not a DIFFERENT company. You are impossible fully research these things before you use them in your argument. Look up the word subsidiary while you at it.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
And btw GMC bought Cadillac in the early 1900's it didn't create this brand it bought it from another company to improve it. So you sure you want that in your example bruh? Because you just contradict yourself with the GMC/Cadillac example. Did you even know that Cadillac was originally a failing company Henry Ford abandoned completely and moved on to Form Ford Motors? LOL you bring Cars in this?! R U SERIOUS? Let's GO!!!
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Should I even waste time telling you how Lincoln became a part of Ford? Look up the word acquisition too that might help you out....
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
SAME company different products. You gat it so far, now lets just drop the automotive origin history lesson and focus on the point being made. Any of those companies could have left the other name brand alone, but to obtain more SALES and further PROFIT they didn't. The Government having shares in BTC is gaining from their 'new technology' investment (lets call it investment Lexus). Now from observation there seem to be potential customers with moneis to spend but not the amount to obtain the Lexus package, so the Government from a portion of the profit acquired from its first investment further goes and offer by itself a Toyota package. Now those potential customers whom had monies to spend are now able to be profit giving customers. Now when it all boils down the money from the shares from BTC along with the Government's Telecommunication Branch(Toyota investment) all ends up in the public treasury making it like you say the SAME company different products. Seeing that I have your attention more with cars as the example; locally there is a place called One Stop Auto and another called SouthSide Auto. Both are owned by the same company but offer different products (new vs used). Do you think their purpose is to compete with itself or to obtain profitable customers from allllll financial walks of life. Or Friendly Ford/Sanpin Motors.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
And once again you just prove my point with another excellent example of SAME company different products. You originally said "reenter the market and compete". I don't even know why we having this conversation because I don't know what side of the argument you on no more.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Here is a refresher of your original post note key words "reenter", "competitor, "startup"
"I was strongly against the sale of BTC but whats done is done. Nobody sells a product to purchase it back, so if the government sees it necessary to still be in the telephone service simply re-enter as a competitor but only target a specific service (land or cellphone) by using just a percentage of the profit from the sale. Provide competitive prices to a customer population that would not be a strain to the governments treasury. When that more-or-less start up company gets on the way and profit if obtain, gradually expand and venture into other services where affordable and profitable." -positiveinput
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Yes those were my words and like i also stated providing service/products that potential customers want but from the other company cannot afford. When I mentioned reenter it was to avoid the buying back of the first BTC cause like stated, whats done is done. The use of the word competitor applies because both companies would be in the same industry or maybe yes my choice of word was wrong and I should have used alternative. Lexus/Toyota, both are vehicles but one version offers lower features. Lexus isn't there to compete with toyota but to offer the same service (an automobile) to a selected sort of customers. Which brings us back to my statement of 'but only target a specific service'. Then we have start-up which followed the phrase more-or-less. That was just a term for the independent venture cause we both know the government has already been in the telecommunication industry, so this venture could not possible be start-up comprehended for 'face value'. Now 242 you stated "once again you (positiveinput/myself) just prove my (242) point with another excellent example of SAME company different product". All profits from different products are going to the same company and if there are DIFFERENT products, my choice of using the (key) word competitor is just replaced with alternative so the governments still comes out profitable. You state your point is same company different products, which supports my point that if the government opens a independent telecommunication company, because they are offering different products/alternative, they will still obtain a profit seeing that different product attracts different customers. So the alternative (competitive as I earlier used) products would gain a profit from those customers whom were unable or unwilling to support BTC, along with the profits from the shares owned from BTC.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Thank you for clearing that up...There is a good chance that may work but You are still competing with yourself unless you sell the remainder of the shares to the parent company. If the new division is formed under the same 51/49. Then your profits from the start up will act as a division of the parent company and the parent will still get 51% of all your profit, if they even allow the separate division......And if you do sell your 49% you just lost all your assets and would still have to start from scratch. Not saying it is impossible just saying it will be very difficult to do that....
The Debate continues......Monday....Enjoy the weekend.....
maryann 11 years, 10 months ago
Puting the rat to watch the cheese again?
Oracle 11 years, 10 months ago
Can someone show me these young Bahamians this government claimed they believed in, this bridge from Sir Lynden to the new generation? Because EVERYTHING OLD is coming back in style! So the Raynard Rigbys, Peter Galanis they lack Leslie's brilliance......same ole same ole and this time around the PM dont have to account as he doesnt plan to be here next election as he will be to OLD.....hope everyone happy,
dacy 11 years, 10 months ago
PLP is the only thing they want...so they very happy the same people getting richer
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Let this had been a person other than a Bahamian making these same suggestions. Just like BTC you same individuals would have been, 'Or yeah its for a better Bahamas, give them a try, they come to lower prices'. Mr. Miller might as well had not been taken out of context when he said Bahamians Stupid.
John 11 years, 10 months ago
If You kill one person it could be an accident,self defence, manslaughter or murder. If you kiill 300 then it can be murder, mass murder or genocide. So there is a big difference. If someone has a balance on his bill after paying the current bill the balance can be less than 30 days old. If someone has $300,000.00 and claims his highest monthly billing is $30,000 thats like the bill is 10 months in arrears. Since 10 months is closer to 12 than it is to six, that person is almost a year behind on payments. BEC was coming around to the average consumer disconnecting supplies for less than $200.00 Many consumers were treated like common criminals where BEc workers would sneak into their yards while they were at work or even when they were at home and disconnect their supply and slip away without giving the consumer the opportunity to pay. While Hon. Leslie Miller has his lights on and A/cs running and $300,000.00 owing to BEC smaller consumers had to choose between putting food on their tables and keeping the light on. This is NOT a BEC problem you may say, but BEC is a corporate citizen and hence it should hace coporate compassion. If one can rack up a bill for $300,000 at least there should be a minimum cut off amount of that amount .001% of 300 thousand. How much was city markets BEC bills before they decided to close?
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
My point was if one person Murders 300 people and another MURDER ONE, all is murder. Likewise all those whom chanting out Mr. Millers bill, I'm sure they also owe BEC, and its not a matter of the amount or time period its owed, they still owe but opening their mouth. Those of you running on about privatising BEC, think a private company would have the compassion BEC having now when it comes to disconnection. Hell no, they would not even try to sneak in your yard, they coming even if you having Sunday or Thanksgiving dinner to shut your power off once you owe.
spoitier 11 years, 10 months ago
The one that murder 300 people is a serial killer and wouldn't have second taught to make it to 301.
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Still from some point in time it started from 1 so my point is that no matter the amount when it comes to a BEC bill cause you side-track on the word murder, no matter what the amount of anyones bill is, once they own they are no better than the next whom may owe more.
dacy 11 years, 10 months ago
I would suggest you change your name...to PLPinput
Mayaguana34 11 years, 10 months ago
Can a generator running on bunker C be converted to run on LNG - I am not sure but I doubt it highly - So Mr. Chairman, how does you broke corporation afford to make the conversion to new generators that will burn this cheaper fuel? Petrocaribe was a loan programme and while it hedged some prices it has not created any huge benefits to the current signatories and begs the question as to whether we want to owe Chavez - Check the Caribbean signatory prices at the pump and it is very similar to ours even though there consumption is lower - I suggest he stops the big promises and focuses and what he can contribute - A finalized energy policy, a range of incentives for solar at least for water heating and incentives for individuals and firms that can afford it to make investments in wind and tidal - Speak to conservation and launch a national program to teach conservation. #mytwocents
BaystreetTrader 11 years, 10 months ago
Oil is currently trading at $78.5 this morning, the management of BEC should consider hedging a portion of their fuel bill at these prices. Unfortunately, the Bahamas has no control over oil prices, therefore, one should protect themselves by hedging the risk of higher prices in the future. The paradox is that everyone wants to see global economic growth, however, that also means higher demand for oil (and higher oil prices) unless there is some kind of technological innovation in the energy arena.
Stameko 11 years, 10 months ago
The reality is that a number of things need to happen:
BEC needs to be "turned around" - it operates extremely inefficiently. people always talk about fuel prices, but half our problem is that BEC is so inefficient. It also does not have any buying power for fuel or equipment, it does'nt maintain its generators or buildings properly, and it has a union knife at its throat. Of course this means dealing with labour also, but that ain't likely. Nassau is also subsidizing the family islands to a large extent, which I am not saying is wrong, just that it reduces margins and drives up rates
New energy legislation has to be enacted. Homeowners should be encouraged to generate their own power and be able to sell into the grid like elsewehere.
renewables should be embraced across the board, not put on the "back burner" just because it is is something the last Government was looking at. The more alternative sources the better. It should not cost BEC anything if managed right....they should just agree to buy the power at fixed rates from the Independent Power Producers who take on the financial risk of the projects.
Get a chairman and a board who are seasoned electrical utility people not political appointees, and get someone on the board who perhaps invests in renewables around the world - yes a foreigner but who has experience doing what the Bahamas has never done.
BEC should publish a notice to stop this speculation as to whether the entire Board's bills are current or not, and how much in arrears. It is a CONFLICT OF INTEREST for a Board member to be in arrears with the company he is on the Board of. This should extend to any business in which any Board Member has a material interest
By the way @Positive, I pay my electrical bills on time every month and no arrears. You seem to assume that everyone in the Bahamas is like you.
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
When I posted my comment it was referring to the persons lashing out at Mr Miller whom also owes BEC. This the first time I even noticed your screen name or for sure its not present above so how could I have meant you or anyone who was not posting a comment. However seeing that you want to feel important, No Stameko I was not assuming that everyone in the Bahamas is like me. Happy now, a response just for you. Furthermore non of my comments suggested all the Bahamas, just those commenting and still have outstanding bills. Life's a stage but unfortunately its not your time to come on. Please have a seat backstage and hold on to your paid in full receipts. Oh by the way I was enjoying your points until you got carried away and wanted to boast of your hugh accomplishment in life.
Stameko 11 years, 10 months ago
Positive, you are obviously the most important person here if you feel that you can order people off the stage. That is self importance at its worst. And it is not a boast, the point is too many people want that big 4WD or huge plasma TV that's bigger than their friends' - and they are using the public's (our) money to finance their lifestyles. Credit is a way of life in The Bahamas, an unfortunate inheritance of US culture.
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
It was simply because I was commenting on the persons whom had outstanding bills, they may not have been in the amount of Mr Millers claim but regardless they both owed. Now here you come along pointing a finger at me like I was speaking to you. You post your bill is paid in full so obvious my comments was not meant for you. Thats when I post please have a seat backstage, or did you want me to tell you shut up I wasn't talking to you. Now you want to comment self importance at its worst, again my post was for customers with unpaid bills but still you ended up thinking you're so important so it includes you.
Bahamians have a very serious problem of taking words or phrases for its natural meaning. "have a seat backstage" use in this context meant that because I was talking to persons with outstanding balances, which did not include you, 'the stage' (my focus or comments) was not for you.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 10 months ago
didn,t the fnm sign a contract w/ hitachi for 2 new more efficent turbines ,one was to be installed and one was rented to meet demand while the other was being installed ,,,,,it was 23 million dollars ,,come on even with our debt we can pay 23 million dollars ,urban renewal is 15 million and theres another 2 million in salaries for all the mp ,consultants ,mins of state ,and fly away fred wants to open 3 new embassys ,each one of them and the cost of the old stalwart that gets the job got to cost us about 500,000 ayear each and we can,t get newer turbines
bookiedread 11 years, 10 months ago
Hog wash. Mr. Miller really does think that all black Bahamians are stupid. When one leads he leads by example. PC can do what he wants but putting a man in charge of BEC that hasn't been a big fan of the corporation doesn't seem like much sense to me. BR defended the move saying Mr. Miller doesn't owe BEC. Lying lips are an abomination.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 10 months ago
its ironic watching the die hard PLP support some of PGC appointments and the strong arming of CWC ...there really is no defense ..can u honestly say you don,t want compition in the cell phone market ,can you honestly say you would prefer to pay the highest rates in the region to have an overstaffed monopoly ..................its just like w/ the hatians every one wants to get rid of them except for the one that does there yard ,,the PLP is anti foriegn except for there ones ,lets see if robin in da hood schafer returns to cheat customs again ,its really his bowling alley,,,,,,,,,,all i can remeber is Miller peacocking around the court wwanting justise for his son ,if i ripped someones dope and got killed for it all my pop would do is pray for my soul in private ..THE PEOPLE ELECT A GOVERMENT WHO MOST FEELS LIKE THEMSELVES ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,THEIR VALUES ETC ETC
notsogullible 11 years, 9 months ago
Amen, Amen, Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shirley 11 years, 10 months ago
This appointment is a huge mistake. PC must be senile.
TalRussell 11 years, 9 months ago
Comrades I have just ordered a box of king size zippers to have delivered over to PM Christie's office, cause he sure as hell gong need to zip up the mouth's of a few he never should have endorsed in the first place to contest seats on Decision day 2012.
I swear some these Comrades got some real serious tongue wagging disease or something. This Comrade Leslie yapping so much he's got saliva comin out he big mouth.
by TalRussell
notsogullible 11 years, 9 months ago
Tal you really talk sense at times. Thanks for being real!
TalRussell 11 years, 9 months ago
Hey Comrades we got our Comrade Leslie's and you got ya red shirts Comrade Chairman Charlie and him equal to our three misfits PM Christie brung back to power with him
But in all fairness to Comrade Chairman Charlie, he's the biggest cry-baby of them all.
http://thetribune.media.clients.ellin...">One Red Shirt Comrade Charlie Is More Than Enough For The "New" Hubert A. At Least PM Christie Job Is Not Being Threatened, By His Chairman?? by TalRussell
concernedcitizen 11 years, 9 months ago
the only thing i don,t think maynard continually fronts for foriegners with slick business pratices ,then turns around and bad mouths foriegners as miller does...nor do i remember maynards son ripping off someones dope and getting killed for it ,and how many dope dealers live at daddys house lol
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