The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party does not believe utility companies should treat politicians differently from ordinary citizens, PLP leader Philip "Brave" Davis said yesterday, adding the comments of South Andros MP Picewell Forbes in Parliament on Wednesday were "inelegantly articulated" and "taken out of context".

Mr Forbes drew criticism for suggesting politicians be protected and extended certain "courtesies" in the way companies like Bahamas Power & Light (PLP) treat them in the face of nonpayment.

Last year, The Tribune revealed Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis' decision to clamp down on a longstanding, secret policy involving a "special list" of politicians whose water and electricity services are never disconnected despite their lack of payment, a privilege not extended to other Bahamians.

On Wednesday, Mr Forbes said in Parliament a conversation about how politicians are treated with respect to their light bills is needed.

"That is the reality," Mr Forbes said. "It's a small amount of persons who would have passed through these halls, senators, members of Parliament. I think there must be a basic benchmark or protocol for persons whose lights are going to be turned off, people who serve in public offices or those who have served."

Contacted yesterday, Mr Davis distanced himself from Mr Forbes' comments and emphasised that the official position of the PLP is for all Bahamians to be treated equally, regardless of status or profession. He claimed Mr Forbes did not say politicians should have their lights remain on, but that they should be notified before an impending disconnection.

"If I'm receiving a service and you are going to terminate that service, there should be a courtesy to let me know you're going to terminate that if I don't pay it in a day or two, that's the point he was making," Mr Davis said adding that Mr Forbes was referring to "one or two colleagues that have had that happen to them, causing embarrassment recently, and he wasn't referring to himself."

Asked why Mr Forbes singled out politicians as worthy of this courtesy, Mr Davis said: "That's why I said it was inelegantly articulated. This is a courtesy that should be extended across the board to everyone, not just politicians. Before you cut anyone's light off, give some notice that you are doing so and make some effort to ensure you let them know you're going to do that and if the customer does not do certain things within a day or two there will be termination."

It is not currently the protocol of BPL to inform customers ahead of an impending disconnection, The Tribune was told by a high-ranking official yesterday.

Mr Davis added: "They also have to make sure customers receive their bill. I didn't receive my bills for two or three months but I made payments on the account because I don't want to get cut off. Whether my account is current now I don't know because I don't know if my wife received the bill for the month. Why cut me off when you don't know if I received the bill?"

Mr Forbes also said Wednesday that disconnecting service of some politicians is used to "settle political scores." Mr Davis backed him up on this point yesterday, pointing to last year's leaks to The Tribune of outstanding light and water bills of politicians, and saying the leaks were focused mostly on PLP politicians.

Minister of Works with responsibility for BPL Desmond Bannister hit out yesterday at what he saw as an insidious accusation.

"I'm the minister with responsibility for BPL and if I don't pay they'll cut me off," he said. "I think everybody looked at (Mr Forbes') comments on the face of it but when he spoke about discrimination that is a concern because I think the allegation is that somehow, we put people into utilities who are going to discriminate against someone for political reasons. We are not going to do that. That's the kind of thing I believe the PLP will do. We don't get involved."