The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

The Free National Movement (FNM) government’s recently tabled Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Bill appears to be an all-or-nothing effort by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to salvage Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), even if it means alienating thousands of frustrated Bahamian consumers, who have had to put up with chronic power blackouts for decades. The aggressive attempt to service BPL’s $321 million legacy debt in addition to raising $350 million for upgrading the generation plant must be lauded. However, the method in achieving both lofty goals could prove politically disastrous to the FNM administration, as consumers are not willing to cough up more money for grossly unreliable service, especially when considering the fact that power bills are already exorbitant.

Due to gross mismanagement and incompetence, BPL (formerly BEC) has been both an albatross around the necks of both major political parties and an embarrassment to the Bahamian people. This embarrassment was accentuated on Friday night during an island wide blackout, which unfortunately, coincided with the Battle 4 Atlantis basketball tournament, while Seton Hall and Iowa State were playing. The game was on ESPN. ESPN is owned by Disney, and has an estimated 86 million regular viewers – many of whom were probably watching the basketball game as the BPL debacle unfolded before their eyes, which in all likelihood gave them a bad impression on The Bahamas.

Our Third World status was fully on display before a massive international audience. The following is cold comfort, but what transpired at Atlantis has historical precedent to ESPN viewers. During the Super Bowl XLVII game in February 2013 between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz in New Orleans, there was a partial power outage that lasted for over 30 minutes, disrupting the contest. Subsequent to this embarrassing episode, that game has been derisively dubbed the Blackout Bowl. Over 108 million Americans watched the game, which was broadcasted by CBS. It was one of the most watched games of all time.

The blackout could not have happened at a more inopportune time for the NFL, which prides itself in professionalism. In any case, the Super Bowl XLVII debacle is little comfort to the beleaguered BPL board of directors.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport

Grand Bahama

December 1, 2019