The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of the Bain and Grants Town community are in uproar after Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis announced that Bahamas Power and Light will be increasing its monthly fuel charge in response to rising fuel costs.

According to Prime Minister Davis those with a current monthly bill of $182 or less would see an increase to about $20 per month or two cents per kilowatt hours of electricity used.

Those with higher bills will pay almost double that amount at 4.3 cents per kilowatt hour.

With the rate increase set to be reflected in consumers’ electricity bills beginning November, yesterday The Tribune canvassed residents in the “Over-the-Hill” community.

Some residents were unable to speak on the matter as they said they have been without electricity for over 15 years.

However Tarese Evans, who has been in this constituency all her life, is dissatisfied with the increase, as she believes the government should increase the minimum wage before raising the electricity rates.

“I don’t feel good about it. Y’all (the government) raising the light bill, what about the minimum wage bill what was on the table before that?” asked the 44-year-old.

Ms Evans added: “It will affect me tremendously. He (Mr Davis is) trying to tell you to keep your light bill below $150, but at the end of the day some of these single mothers can’t pay light bill until two, three months later because of minimum wage. Carry up minimum wage then you could bring up what you want to bring up, whenever you want to bring it up.”

Sharing similar views, was a 23-year-old resident of the community who also believes the government should raise the minimum wage as a result of rising prices in the country.

“I feel like if they raise the price on any item or anything in this country, they are supposed to raise the minimum wage,” said the resident who asked to be identified as Ms Percentie.

“They are supposed to raise our benefits, income, or taxes. I believe they should give us our tax return, as they are collecting VAT. All that NIB we are paying every month and still can’t get no service when you go to the clinic, or hospital,” she added.

As she recently relocated from Harbour Island to New Providence 10 months ago, Ms Percentie said she is faced with the financial hardships of the “high” electricity bills.

She said: “To turn on the light is $300 to $400 just to start off with. To pay it monthly sometimes it would range from $150 and up, and it’s only me one.”

A 20-year resident of the area who gave his name as Ricardo told this newspaper that the price increase makes no sense, but rather is “hurting the poor people”.

“To me I don’t think that making sense because that just hurting the poor people and it done high already,” he said.

“That hurting us more and more and crippling us. That doesn’t make no sense to the poor people.”

According to Ricardo, on average his monthly electricity bill is $600 and sometimes less if he makes a conscious effort to conserve.

He pleaded for the government to seek different alternatives in an effort to “help the poor man”.

“They need to go to solar or something because we have a lot of sun in this hemisphere and so if they go solar, they wouldn’t have to be needing all of this oil — take that venture if anything,” he said yesterday.

Given the present situation, a local resident, who requested anonymity, told The Tribune he has no disputes against the price increase.

“It is what it is, you can’t stop it. Regardless of what we say, once their mind is made up to do it, they will do it. Just pay your bill; every government what come into power will make changes and the change might not be better for the poor people, but it will be changes. The poor people just have to get with it,” he told this newspaper yesterday. According to the resident, he has been consistent with paying his electricity bill and encouraged locals to adapt to the changes and do likewise.

“If you want live comfortable you will pay your bill, if you want to drive a car you will put gas in the car, if you want light in your house, you will pay your bill.

“Don’t care how much people complain, their mind is already made up to do what they have to do. We can’t control these things.”