BEC chairman Leslie Miller yesterday criticised work ethics at the corporation after a major engine and auxiliary equipment were reportedly sabotaged at the Clifton power plant.
Pointing to the improbability that the damage was committed by someone unfamiliar with the plant, Mr Miller accused BEC workers despite reservations by senior staff that the incident could be theft.
Mr Miller said: “This disappoints me greatly that (senior staff) can come with this viewpoint that a man can come off the street, walk through the gate, walk through the building, know which tiles to pick up inside the building, cut the right wires, please, you think any Bahamian I tell that to is gonna believe that?
“He came through the gate, nobody saw him, he went into the engine room, nobody saw him, know what tiles to pick up with no marking cut the right wire.”
A major engine at the Clifton power plant had to be shut down after some 15 lines were severed and sections of cables removed from an engine room and auxiliary room sometime before 10pm Sunday. Although the engine encountered difficulties Sunday evening, workers did not discover that lines had been cut until the following day.
The incident has struck “the heart” of the capital’s electricity system and the government’s efforts to reduce costs to consumers, according to Mr Miller, who said the corporation may have to absorb an additional cost of $250,000 per day in fuel to sustain operational needs.
Last night, officials were still conducting assessments to determine the extent of damage and bring the 31 megawatt engine back online.
Mr Miller said: “Why would you try to destroy a $40 million machine, for what reason but to set us back when you know that the burden is already on your back with the high electricity cost. This sabotage puts us back because we don’t know what it’s going to cost us.”
“When that engine is out and we have to switch to Blue Hills for sufficient power to generate the electricity from the loss of that engine, that is gonna cost approximately $250,000 a day in extra fuel.”
The Clifton power plant is central to the government plan to reduce electricity bills by 10 per cent this summer, according to Mr Miller, who explained that the plant burned less fuel with a higher efficiency over the Blue Hill road plant.
Mr Miller promised yesterday that culprits would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and an internal probe also would be launched amidst police investigations. He added he was shocked that the power plant did not have any security cameras.
Mr Miller said: “This sabotage is intentional to hold back our efforts in giving the Bahamian people a break on their electricity bill. This is a sabotage against the people of our country.
“Those persons,” he said, “whoever worked that night are going to have to be accountable to the board and the chair as to what went wrong. We want a full investigation, we have a security department and we expect them to do their job. If they can’t do their job, someone else would be doing it for them.”
Pointing to the high incidence of theft and discord at the corporation, Mr Miller said the incident was not surprising.
“This,” he said, “is the inherent problem with BEC, nobody ever takes responsibility for anything that happens at BEC. No one is fired, no one is ever reprimanded, they cover up for each other. That is the mindset of too many people in BEC.
“This could potentially cost us millions of dollars.
“You must ask the question do the people that work for BEC really care about the people of the Bahamas?” he asked.
Calls placed to Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) president Stephano Greene were not returned last night.
Mr Miller added that security cameras will be installed at every plant within the month.
Comments
larry 11 years, 6 months ago
If this is true and a deliberate act this is a criminal action by union members and the union should be made to pay for repairs and continued cost until the generator is repaired this should not only be a criminal action but also civil suit against the union and workers. Stop them from costing the Bahamian public.
My5Cents 11 years, 6 months ago
Time for BEC to get a inside man in the union to find out exactly what future plans are and catch them in the act
jackflash 11 years, 6 months ago
Sell BEC and make it private.
This stuff will stop soon after..
bismark 11 years, 6 months ago
stay strong chairman.dont back down
USAhelp 11 years, 6 months ago
Thugs killing tourist union killing bahamas police say crime is down no wonder we have problems
B_I_D___ 11 years, 6 months ago
I'm not necessarily the hugest fan of Mr. Miller...but, I will say out of all the 'Cabinets' he has definitely come in and is not taking any SH**, taking the bull by the horns and trying to get the corporation running like it should...if he can't then the only recourse will be to privatize it and let the private entity clean house. For far too long these government utilities have been used and abused by all political parties to give those people jobs in favour of a vote, don't ruffle any feathers, let's give the unions what they demand until we bankrupt the country. I second Bismark's comment...don't back down...raise some hell in there and get it running EFFICIENTLY!!
akbar 11 years, 6 months ago
Two contract workers were in custody for these doings. Mr Miller is not only a MP and a chairman he is also a bumbling detective. He is a loud mouth ignaramous who has been rehashed to fool the Bahamian people who he loved so much. His political career should have been over from his past mishaps. Only in the Bahamas we does pick up garbage and call it treasue. He owes those workers a public apology.
John 11 years, 6 months ago
you sound like you works for BEC and is a high ranking member of the union!
Tarzan 11 years, 6 months ago
Mr.Miller is a public hero. He is taking on a gang of thieves who have been left pretty much alone, to run our power system as a private fiefdom for nearly a generation. They are not going to see their rice bowl turned into a properly managed public utility without a fight and it is perfectly obvious that these union thugs are perfectly willing to break the law to keep their golden goose pumping out the cash. There is no more pernicious drain on the Bahamian economy than the ludicrous power rates we are required to shoulder. No tax in effect or being considered could impose such a headwind to economic growth. No other burden makes it so hard for us to be competitive across all of our industries.
This is public priority number one and Mr. Miller is left by government to soldier on alone. Of course the only good long term solution is privatization of BEC, but that is a bridge too far right now. Thank Heavens for Mr. Miller and his stalwart fight to impose some discipline on this small group who continue to hold the entire country to ransom. Where is the outrage? Where is the police action? Where are the public announcements of support for Mr. Miller and his heroic efforts from the entire Cabinet and serving government?
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 6 months ago
I like what he's doing in making the employees and unions accountable, but I would be careful about calling him a hero. He's the right man for this time and circumstance.
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 6 months ago
That said,.... Go Leslie!
John 11 years, 6 months ago
Ever since one could remember, whenever BEC contracts came up for renewal this country suffered a series of black outs, ome lasting over entire summers. When the (BEC) union flet like it was not getting its way then there would be acts of sabotage, chains thrown over high tension wires, lamppoles cut, cables cut, company vehicles damaged, among other things. These acts cost the cash strapped coropration hundreds of thousands, if only in lost revenue, and the Bahamian people suffered directly each time these acts were carried out. To my knowledge NO ONE, was ever charged and brought before the courts either for doing acts of sabatoge or even doing damage to BEC"S property. When a set of workers are so determined to have their way, we must commend Leslie Miller for tryin to bring financial sanity to BEC. However when persons carry out such acts, carelless of what the cost of the damage is that they do or mindless of whom is impacted by their actions, we must encourage Leslie Miller to be safe and exercise caution as he ventures forward.
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