The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I often joke that I am the smartest individual in the Universe. As time goes on in our wonderful nation, I am beginning to really believe that. Let us examine the proposed debt reduction at Bahamas Power & Light. It is commonly agreed and accepted that Bahamas Power & Light and its corporate predecessor, Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) has been badly run and managed for decades under successive administrations.

On balance, apparently, no one was checking and that entity was used as a cash cow and a depository of political hacks and supporters of the party of the day. While one is able to appreciate the mechanism of pure political patronage as played out in our wonderful nation, our people are now beginning to pay a heavy price for this unchecked phenomenon. Truly, the Androsian Buzzards, the bigger sized ones, have come home to roost.

The costs of utilities in the Bahamas, especially here in New Providence, is simply too damn high, pardon my French. Individuals and businesses are struggling to keep current, pardon the pun, with their bills for the supply of current. Couple this with theft by employees; the unexplained ‘disappearance’ of inventory and the excessive governmental regulations and half baked ‘policies’ it is a wonder that more businesses and individuals have not yet gone under or closed their doors to the public. The current state of affairs is unsustainable.

BPL is now proposing a plan of action to reduce rates at that monopoly by increasing rates. This seems like something out of the proverbial Twilight Zone. You say you are going to reduce electrical rates but the consumer has to first pay more? Since when has less become more and when did less become more? As the smartest individual in the Universe, certainly The Bahamas, I have yet to figure this one out.

Managerial and structural changes and reforms are urgently needed at BPL. When was the last time that audited financial statements were laid on the table of the House of Assembly? What are the stipends being paid to middle and top managers; directors and supervisors? No one, except at the ministerial and board levels seems to ‘know’ and, if they know, they are not revealing the same to the public. I tried googling this information of assorted web sites, inclusive of BPL, to no avail..In fact. the page was blank.

Once the administration and the Minister with responsibility, the latter being ‘lost in space’, several proposals for the financing and eventual elimination of BPL’s legacy debt and raising funds for the purchase of new equipment must be considered by the Most Honourable Prime Minister and his ‘war’ cabinet....for this is a war on the people’s mentality and pocket book.

The Christie regime ‘allowed’ 10 individuals and corporate vehicles a monopoly on the web/gaming industry for a locked in10 years’ period. While I fully support regulated gaming, I never subscribed to the notion that a handful of ‘chosen’ individuals would be able to hog up the vast majority of the potential profits from that industry. The web people said at one point that they would ‘sell’ shares in their operations to ordinary Bahamians. Yes, one of the operators did ‘sell’ shares but not directly, as was bogusly promised back in the day.

For decades the web people them were operating outside the law and, by their own admission, amassing tens of millions of dollars in pure profits. When anyone dared to question the rationale behind this, the operators and their public relations hacks, were quick to accuse those persons of being against ‘black’ Bahamians making real money and were merely jealous! Well, blow me down!

To finance whatever has to be finance down at BPL the Minnis administration should immediately introduce a National Lottery to be owned by the people of the nation. Of course, since the infrastructure is already in place the government could allow a consortium of web operators to actually ‘run’ the National Lottery and even to be allowed to ‘own’ a twenty-five percent (25%) stake in the same. A similar percentage could be sold, in small lots to ordinary Bahamians and the administration would hold fifty percent (50%) not forty nine percent (49%) in the case of BTC.

If this is done there would be no need to increase electrical rates while seeking a pie in the sky debt reduction scheme. Minnis and his people have a stellar opportunity to distance themselves from the ‘old’ PPL under Christie but, for whatever reasons, they just cannot seem to be able to get it right. The PM is /has evolved into a Christie like successor. He’s grown to become (maybe he always was like this but kept it well hidden when in opposition) more arrogant and dismissive than the latter ever would have been and, trust me, Christie was dead full of it.

Taxes across the board were too high under the ‘old’ PLP. With the advent of my good friend and crew, taxes are now up to the level of the stratosphere and beyond. VAT was immediately almost doubled when Minnis arrived. Utility rates have never been higher. Home owners are pressed to keep current with their mortgages and tenants are obliged to duck their landlords.

Corned Beef and White Rice have again, become the staple diet of thousands of Bahamians while the ruling classes, FNM and PLP, continue to eat Steak & Lobster for breakfast; Smoked Salmon & Broccoli for lunch and a succulent Rack of Lamb, with mint jelly, for supper. All of these, of course, are washed down with the best Champaign . The masses, if they are lucky, may find some public pump water or, at best, a can of soda.

For the sake of the people of The Bahamas, it is my desire to see the PM and his crew succeed. They must, however, climb down from their high horses and remember that the people of this wonderful country, no longer are willing to grant a successive term to any party which appears to not be checking. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau

November 21, 2019