WE have had our share of disasters already in The Bahamas – but a manmade one lies in wait just ahead.
Whatever we might say about what level of preparation we might have made for Hurricane Dorian or the outbreak of COVID-19, there is one thing we absolutely had control over – and our failure to deal with its many problems is coming back to haunt us now.
We’re talking about Bahamas Power and Light.
Earlier this month, we wrote about how the coronavirus outbreak is showing us where the weaknesses in our society lie – and there is perhaps no bigger weakness than the ever-problematic electricity provider.
We can’t even talk about years of being badly run when it comes to BPL. The electricity system in this country has been badly run for decades.
And now, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister tells us that its finances “get more and more perilous every day”.
Already heavily in debt and struggling to find takers it seems for its planned $580m bond placement and debt restructuring plan, BPL suddenly has a number of customers who can’t pay their bills, and a bunch of big businesses not using electricity and being a reliable source of income to the utility.
At a time when oil prices have crashed, BPL doesn’t even have the money to take advantage of the situation. Its pockets are empty.
Whatever the past history of BPL, this particular albatross now hangs around the neck of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
Last year, the provider gave an appalling service. Call them what you will. Call them blackouts, call it load shedding, the net result was hours of darkness for people across The Bahamas. Flick the light switch and nothing came on all too often. Freezers defrosted, leaving the contents unusable.
Can you imagine the same now? At a time when people have filled those fridges to avoid going back out in an effort to curtail coronavirus, can you imagine a return to power outages if BPL finds it doesn’t have the funds to keep paying for fuel?
If power problems are added to the anxiety of lockdowns, that’s a recipe for disaster. It would not be too far-fetched to imagine it bringing unrest.
We can all see where this is going if things continue this way. We’re headed for a government bailout of the company. If BPL was a boat, we’re all going to need to grab a bucket and bail, bail, bail to stop it from sinking.
The power must be kept going. You know it. We know it. The government knows it. “We’re going to continue to provide that service come what may,” said Mr Bannister yesterday, adding: “We can never go back to what we had last summer.”
The sad truth is that whatever bailout it is going to take will be government money that could have been going towards people left out of work by the pandemic, money that could have put food on the table for those in need.
It’s also money we’ll all have to pay back in future – through higher electric bills perhaps, through taxes maybe. There will be a bill for us all and it will come due.
BPL is a problem that, one way or another, must be fixed. Not for a year. Not for a term of government. But for a generation. We cannot pretend to build a new Bahamas if it is on the failing foundation of the past. It is a problem that must be solved, for all our sakes, now more than ever.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 4 years ago
"We can never go back to what we had last summer." brave words. unfortunately it's already started. and they've admitted they can't run all the new engines at one time.
Sigh pray for the nation. We need Joseph.
concerned799 4 years ago
So your official ask then is for more of the status quo?
Surely any solution that keeps the existing shareholders and controlling interest direction can work no better than what has happened before?
Given the PowerSecure failure, the independant director failing, the reorg to BPL failing, everything else has been tried and outright privitization is the ONLY solution left?
It can surely be no worse, so what is the downside to trying this?
Higer rates? Poor service? LOL
SELL IT!
BTW CUC in Cayman does much better privitized, this is not a "hard" model to copy. Much lower rates even and far ahead in renewables too. Some problems, hard, this one, not.
Porcupine 4 years ago
There is only one answer. Face the realities, as set forth in this editorial, and realize that we are on our own. In the Family Islands, independent solar and alternative renewable energy sources are our only solution. We now realize we cannot depend on the Bahamian government.for anything. In a few months time all of us will need to face this reality, and will see this clearly. BPL is only the first of many government institutions that WILL fail. Poor planning and many acts of God will expose our slackness for all to see. Many will suffer. Only prayers will help us now, because we did not act like adults in dealing with the many crisis facing this nation. The social consequences are going to be immense.
JackArawak 4 years ago
no power under lock down? you're describing Abaco
avidreader 4 years ago
Some people on New Providence find it hard to believe that there is no public power supply (aka BPL) in most residential areas of Marsh Harbour as well as on the off lying cays. As I have written on previous occasions, if BPL has no intention of providing power to those buildings deemed safe to reconnect, it would be most gracious of them to inform the property owners accordingly. Abaco has been set back by at least 40 years so that the lack of commitment to the provision of power (for whatever reason) is just one more hindrance, albeit a major one.
Baha10 4 years ago
No Power since 1st September ... coming up on 8 months and counting ... and this ain’t Ragged Island, rather the No. 2 contributor to the Public Treasury ... nearing time for Bannister and all others connected with recovery effort to resign ... not in shame, rather disgrace with a life ban on ever holding Public Office again!
sweptaway 4 years ago
This is the end result of a government owned business and a union controlled labor force ! No fiscal accountability and no accountability for the service sector ,Generator plants ect ! The same in America .Their post office is billions in debt ,the Amtrac rail system is millions in dept and Medicare is billions in debt .Nobody cares because it doesn't come out of their pockets Gee ,we need to raise rates....oh well lets go to lunch in our shiny new truck !
proudloudandfnm 4 years ago
Thank God for Grand Bahama Power! Reliable power and no disconnections while in lockdown. AC on 24/7.
Bahamianbychoice 4 years ago
Didn’t Grand Bahama Power fire the present CEO of BPL....and they have reliable power while the rest of the country has power insecurity or no power like some of the islands...
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