By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
THE CENTRAL Detective Unit has taken over the investigation into the alleged sabotage at BEC’s Clifton Pier Plant Sunday night, BEC Chairman Leslie Miller said yesterday.
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.
Mr Miller said the evidence he has seen so far, suggests to him that it had to be someone who knew the inner working of the engine. However, President of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union, refuted those claims suggesting that it was copper theft and not the work of anyone from BEC.
In fact, the union demanded a public apology from Mr Miller for accusing them of cutting the wires. In response Mr Miller said: ”Apology for what?”
“The president believes Bahamians are stupid. He has to and he needs to wake up and join the real world. Bahamians are not stupid. I indicated before, based on the damage we found no one just walked in here and did this. It is insulting for him to think we would believe that nonsense. Why would someone who steals copper steal it from a running engine when we have loads of copper, rows and rows they can steal from Baillou Hill without the chance of being electrocuted? And how did they know which wires to cut? So, they trying to say a stranger came in here, knew what tile to pull up and what wires to cut? That’s foolish,” he said.
“They are the thieves, they have been stealing from BEC for years. Stealing overtime for 30 years, taking home hundreds of thousands of dollars they know did not belong to them. Most people steal and go to jail, they steal and call it overtime. But now it’s in the hands of CDU. I went there yesterday and they are dealing with it because they know it is a matter of national importance. No one in their right mind can conceive that someone just walked in from the street and did that.”
Mr Miller also refuted claims that contracted workers hired by BEC, one of whom had an ankle bracelet, damaged the engine.
“BEC has always had contract workers. That is a normal thing. We hire firms and they hire the people. They keep the area clean, they remove the oil from where the engines are,” he said.
“I was told by one of the contractors that one of the men had an ankle bracelet, but he was on the job for less than a week and they sent him home, but that was four months ago. These men are basically labourers, they do not have the competence to go in the room and cut the right wire from about 50 to 60 wires. That is ridiculous.”
Mr Miller said that culprits would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 6 months ago
Go Leslie!
C_MonMan 11 years, 6 months ago
I believe we should leave no stone unturned to discover who cut and removed the wires in questions and then prosecute them to the full extent of the law. However, as the Chairman of BEC it really escapes me as to why Mr. Miller would call his workers thieves for working overtime that have been authorized by the management of BEC and still expect them to feel positive about their jobs and BEC, especially when Mr. Miller's hands are not totally clean. Some of you may applaud this behavior, but BEC is a public corporation that shouts out for professional management and Mr. Miller's behavior is not just bad management, it is the absence of management or just pure anarchy. What a mess! Can an adult step in to guide this travesty, Mr. PM or DPM?
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 6 months ago
Where management and leadership theory is concerned, I agree with you with you. But we have had about 25yrs or so of walking softly. If they did not get their way, the entire island suffered, and they were bold enough to let you know that the entire island would suffer, if they did not get their way. Mr Miller knows who he is dealing with. This is not the time for a carrot.
Furthermore, his management style is known to all, the PM placed him there for a reason.
I made a previous comment that Mr Miller should not be characterized as a hero, (he could probably make brash look meek), but it may be correct to say that he is the man for this time, this place and this circumstance.
John 11 years, 6 months ago
Get Ya` Facts right..Mr. Miller did NOT call his workers thieves for working overtime. He called them dishonest for rostering amounts of overtime that he felt was impossible for them to work outside of their regular working hours. So technically if you was getting paid for overtime you did not work, then you was thief'in
John 11 years, 6 months ago
I think it would would be a really great progress if the police could ,not only find and charge persons responsible for the recent damage at BEC, but they are also taken before the courts, charged and found guilty and receive jail time. For too long BEC has had a grip on this country's most delicate parts, and have used illegal tactics to maintain their leverage. The country cannot progress while being held an economic hostage. Investigations must also be launched to determine while BEC is continuously paying higher and higher rates for fossil fuels and little or no efforts are being mage to use renewable energy or other means of generating electricity. Is someone's pockets getting lined over and over?
USAhelp 11 years, 6 months ago
yea the union pockets.
lazybor 11 years, 6 months ago
well said
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akbar 11 years, 6 months ago
Mr Miller is making a serious travesty. As a public official he should not be making such statements to prejudice the investigation. Allow the police to do their work. The police will just charge any employee with this offence to satisfy the Minister request and make a point in the main time ruining someone lives even after they have not been convicted. He is covering up for these newly hired contract workers ie party supporters. He is not allowing the police to do their work. Meddling of polticians have tied the police hands for to long while the real culprits could be getting away. You are an MP and a chairman( which he shouldn't have been in the first place not MONK. A publicity whore.
C_MonMan 11 years, 6 months ago
@John, Mr. Miller's direct quote above is, "they are the thieves, they have been stealing from BEC for years. Stealing overtime for 30 years, taking home hundreds of thousands of dollars they know did not belong to them. Most people steal and go to jail, they steal and call it overtime". I don't know what you are talking about but after reading your statement on the price BEC is paying for fuel I now understand that you don't have a clue about the operations at BEC.
paul_vincent_zecchino 11 years, 6 months ago
For a mere 'copper thief', he - and it surely is a he - seems to possess a fine knowledge of the plant. He was able to cut fifteen lines, presumably electrical but perhaps oil and/or hydraulic and/or air - the article doesn't specify - without hurting himself or anyone else.
That's one skilled copper thief. This sound like an inside job to you?
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