The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader has slammed as a “damn disgrace” the ‘do no disconnect’ lists at BPL and the Water & Sewerage Corporation, recalling how one of his businesses was almost cut-off over a $100 balance.

Branville McCartney, praising the Minnis administration for discontinuing the practice, told Tribune Business: “It’s a damn disgrace. You hear people talking about it [the lists], but you refuse to believe it’s true.

“That should not happen. No one is above the law. No one should get preferential treatment over anyone else. They [BPL] came to disconnect me for $100 some time back. They came to disconnect me for $100. I mean....

“The bottom line is that should not happen. No one should be on a preferential list, not even the Prime Minister. I’m glad it’s been discontinued, and hope that list is torn up.”

Scores of prominent politicians, including former prime minister Perry Christie, and ex-Cabinet ministers were revealed as being included on ‘do not disconnect’ lists at Bahamas Power & Light and the Water & Sewerage Corporation despite owing thousands of dollars.

The existence of such lists provoked an immediate public backlash, especially since BPL now disconnects ordinary Bahamians for owing as little as $200.

Tribune Business contacts yesterday confirmed that, like its BPL counterpart, the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s ‘do not disconnect’ list has been in existence for decades. One well-placed source, speaking on condition of anonymity, described it as “a handle with care list”, meaning that persons on it had to be notified to pay up, or agree a payment plan, prior to disconnection efforts.

Mr McCartney, meanwhile, recalled how BPL personnel were dispatched to turn off power to one of his companies after “a mix-up” left an outstanding $100 on the bill.

“These fellas came to cut the thing off, just like that with no warning,” he recalled. “We saw them, said what’s the problem, thinking the payment was made in full, and they said $100 was owing. We said we’d have it down there and paid within the next hour.”

The DNA leader, in a wide-ranging interview, returned to one of his favourite issues, the New Providence landfill, arguing that the Minnis administration was too late in having the management agreement tender ready for issuance before year-end.

Pointing out that it would likely be mid-2018 before a preferred bidder was selected, and contract negotiated, Mr McCartney said: “By the time that happens the fires will come again.

“This thing [the tender] should have been ready to go. There are a number of companies that have been bidding for that dump since I was in Cabinet [in 2007-2010]. There were international companies from around the world wanting to deal with that dump site, and prepared to joint venture with Bahamians.”

The DNA leader then added: “I think we need to get serious as a people. We accept too many things. We settle for mediocrity, we accept corruption, we accept the fact there’s conflicts, and we keep on going back and forth doing the same things.

“When we continue to do that, it continues to happen. I would just hope that what’s been going on, and what’s come to light, would deter public officials from taking that path. When people see the consequences of their actions, it makes other people think twice. I hope we can start to move in that direction.”

Mr McCartney blamed a failure of leadership by both FNM and PLP leaders for the Bahamas’ current state, arguing that this nation should be “much more advanced” than it currently is.

“Both sides of the political divide have got us messed right up,” he told Tribune Business. “We’ve lost our standing in tourism, crime is out of control, we’ve lost our financial standing in the financial services sector.

“We’ve certainly failed to diversify our economy, failed to educate our people, kept them at a ‘D’ average, and failed to invest in our people. That’s why we are where we are today. We should be moving to first world, but have not recovered from the recession.

“We continue to destroy our environment with the way we produce energy, we are not self-sufficient in food, we have no food security, none. We have failed to take advantage of our location. We have a dirty country. Nassau smells bad.”