The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER nearly a week without electricity, residents of Acklins had their power restored yesterday afternoon.

St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright said residents in parts of the island had been without electricity since Sunday.

“I trust and hope that those persons who are affected in terms of their perishables will be compensated by Bahamas Power and Light,” Mr Cartwright said during his contribution to a debate in the House of Assembly.

“I think we all can agree that it is quite unacceptable that in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, our people can go without power since Sunday, and it’s now Wednesday. I would hope that the government is quite aware of it and bring relief to those persons on the island. “

Works & Utilities Minister Alfred Sears said BPL teams from Long Island and New Providence were on the ground to resolve the matter, which affected residents of the Spring Point settlement.

“Immediately, BPL had a team from Long Island travel to Acklins to do trouble-shooting on the machines, but were unsuccessful,” he said. “A team was later dispatched, I am advised, from New Providence. They continued their endeavours in respect to the three engines which are in that particular location.”

Mr Sears said in the interim, a generator used during peak periods in New Providence was transported by boat to Acklins on Tuesday and was expected to arrive on the island yesterday.

“We have taken every measure and worked as aggressively as we could,” he said.

South Beach MP Bacchus Rolle later confirmed that the power was restored on the island.