The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister yesterday pledged that Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) will this week address workplace health and safety concerns that have been raised by its line staff union.

Alfred Sears, minister of works and public utilities, speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting, said: “The union at BPL, as stated last week, has a number of long-standing issues related to human resources, related to pensions and health and safety.

“I met with the president of the union several times, and officers of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), and most recently I would have met with the TUC (Trades Union Congress), Mr Obie Ferguson and the president of the BPL union amongst others, to discuss their concerns.

“I’m confident that the chairman and the board of BPL will be having more detailed consultations with the union to address the concerns. They should be meeting this week.”

Kyle Wilson, the BEWU’s president, recently made a series of complaints about the working conditions facing his members at BPL. In particular, he said long-standing safety issues have not been addressed, adding that this was something he is not prepared to tolerate any more.

Mr Sears, though, dismissed the BEWU’s criticisms of the recently-appointed BPL Board. “The chairman has just been appointed, and the Board has just been appointed.

“The Act gives the Board the governance responsibility, and the Board is familiarising itself and getting up to speed. And, as you know, we have a rapid assessment of BPL on certain issues being undertaken as we speak, and we should be receiving a report from Deloitte with respect to that rapid assessment.”

Mr Sears said there are several roadworks projects that that Davis administration has inherited from its predecessor that will be continued. He added that the “re-engineering and redevelopment of Village Road” was one such project, and there will also be a focus on addressing the flooding issues on East Bay Street.

He added that “Carmichael Road and various streets within New Providence” are also included. “Due to Hurricane Dorian, a lot of the resources by necessity had to be diverted to the areas which were impacted specifically, East Grand Bahama and also in Abaco, where I would have spent three days about two weeks ago, so the roadworks are a national concern,” Mr Sears said.