The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

and NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

The private sector’s “hands are tied” over Hurricane Matthew restoration by the absence of electrical power and Internet access, the Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive said yesterday.

Edison Sumner told Tribune Business that business community frustration over the slow restoration of electrical supply continues to mount on New Providence, and he urged Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) to “move post haste” on the issue.

He added that the Chamber has received numerous calls from concerned and frustrated businesses, asking for help with BPL and in having supplies restored to certain areas.

“Recovery is steady but slow,” Mr Sumner said. “A lot of businesses are without basic operating functions, such as power and Internet access. That’s a challenge for many.

“We’re challenged on several fronts. We also understand that stand-by generators are in short supply because they have to look after their own interests in the US coming out of a storm.

“They’re going to be very challenged, a lot of them, especially the small and medium-sized enterprises, to get back into business in a timely fashion,” the Chamber chief added.

“A lot of doors are still closed, and they’re boarded up. Once we get power, the process of restoration will move much quicker, but right now, our hands are tied.”

Of BPL, Mr Sumner said: “I understand that they may have some challenges getting to some locations because of debris and that sort of thing, but I would have thought that by now, considering that they have such a large backing in PowerSecure, that we should have had a crew of people in here a day or two after the storm passed to assist in getting all this work done.

“Certain provisions should have been put in place with the expectation of this kind of work. We have been receiving numerous calls from the business community expressing frustration over the lack of power supply to their businesses. People have had to throw goods out, and and a number of companies have not been able to open because they have no electricity.”    

Mr Sumner continued: “I’m hoping that in the next day or two we can see a lot more homes and commercial businesses get their electricity restored. The longer these businesses are down, we will not be able to promote trade and commerce in in the country.

“It also limits the ability of persons to purchase products. We have to ensure that we get businesses back up and running, and I certainly urge them to move post-haste to get that done.”

BPL, in a recent statement, said it was making steady progress in New Providence, estimating that “just over 50,000 of its 80,000” residential customer connections had been restored.

It added that it not only appreciates, but understands, the frustration of local residents who have been without power supply in some cases for a week.

The press statement read: “Bahamas Power and Light Company (BPL) is making steady progress in New Providence following Hurricane Matthew.

“So far, BPL has restored supply to more than half of its residential customers on the island, and supply has also been restored to the majority of the company’s commercial customers.

“BPL estimates that just over 50,000 of its 80,000 residential connections have been restored, and the company is moving aggressively to have the vast majority of customers back on supply by the end of the week.”    

It added: “Company officials say they not only appreciate but fully understand the frustration of local residents who have been without supply, in some cases, for a week.

“Efforts are underway to ramp up the restoration progress by using local support as well as assistance from other Caribbean utilities and BPL’s management company, PowerSecure. International help arrives on the island on Wednesday.”