The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A senior private sector executive yesterday urged the Government to finally make a decision on the Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s (BEC) reform, adding: “It’s time for the fat lady to sing.”

Dionisio D’Aguilar, a former Chamber of Commerce president, told Tribune Business that the private sector was becoming increasingly frustrated over the Christie administration’s failure to move forward on the “most critical thing” to Bahamian businesses.

Tribune Business previously reported that the Government wanted to ensure its decision was beyond reproach, and able to withstand all scrutiny.

While US company, Power Secure, is effectively the only contender remaining at the table for the BEC management contract, the Government was given ‘pause for thought’ by the “scorched earth” tactics and “mudslinging” employed by persons associated with rival bidders.

This newspaper was told that “vested interests”, a euphemism for Bahamian groups and individuals associated with these bids, had embarked on lobbying and ‘whispering’ campaigns targeting Power Secure’s reputation and ability in a last-ditch effort to get their parties back into the race.

This saw Prime Minister Perry Christie obtain ‘guarantees’ from the Obama administration vouching for the integrity of US companies participating in the BEC process, with the required certification coming from the US Embassy in Nassau, the deputy secretary of state and secretary of state, John Kerry.

Yet, even with the required documentation in hand, no announcement of a final decision on BEC has been forthcoming - and, as Tribune Business revealed, there was zero mention of this or wider energy reform in the mid-year Budget debate.

“What is the delay now?” Mr D’Aguilar asked yesterday. “The Prime Minister had gone to meet US vice-president Joe Biden, they had a pow wow, and now the pow wow is finished and still no decision.

“BEC is in crisis, and you can’t run a country without energy infrastructure. The energy infrastructure is crap. BEC is in crisis, and everybody is still waiting around.”

The outspoken businessman added: “It [energy] is the most critical expenditure in every business, certainly our hotel product.

“Every business consumes vast amounts of energy, and keeping prices low and stable is the most critical thing the Government can do.

“It’s time for the fat lady to sing. It boils down to that. Enough, make a decision.”

Mr D’Aguilar said there were signs that his own Cabinet ministers were getting frustrated at the delay in taking a decision on BEC’s proposed strategic partner, given several public statements that the matter was in Mr Christie’s hands.

The ongoing delay is also fuelling concern that the Government may not go through with the BEC reform process, and could let the status quo remain - an option that is virtually untenable.

Multiple sources, including some close to Power Secure, have confided in this newspaper their concerns that the Government might decide to simply take the best pieces from the proposals submitted by the multiple BEC bidders, cobble them together and attempt to initiate reform itself.

Tribune Business understands that the Government’s Energy Task Force has completed its work, and submitted its recommendations to the Government, which has had them for several weeks.

Sources familiar with the situation told this newspaper that there had been “back and forth” between the Task Force and the Government on the recommendations, with the latter submitting several questions to its advisers, consultants and officials.

“I would hope it’s going to be imminent,” one source familiar with the situation said of a government decision on BEC.