The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

THE Bahamas Electricity Corporation “is not for sale,” BEC board chairman and Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller insisted yesterday.

Last month, Prime Minister Perry Christie said the plan is to split BEC into two separate companies, with one to be retained by the government, by the end of this year.

However, it was later revealed that bids which cover both sides of the company’s current operations – production and distribution – would also be entertained, leading to speculation that all of BEC could be privatised.

But Mr Miller said: “Because the corporation is owned by the Bahamian people, the government never indicated anywhere to anyone that they are going to sell BEC.

“BEC is not for sale, no part of BEC is for sale and it will be continued to be owned by the people of the Bahamas; this won’t be no BTC.”

Minister of Housing and Environment Kenred Dorsett told this newspaper on September 2 that the tender document was structured to let bidders know that the government was “giving priority in our scorecard” to entities who offered to both take over power production and distribution.

This would effectively ensure that BEC remains a single, whole entity after its total, or partial, privatisation – something its immediate past executive chairman, Michael Moss, had recommended last week.

On Wednesday Prime Minister Perry Christie said it is still too early to say if there is a frontrunner in the bid to privatise the corporation and Mr Dorsett added that more than eight companies have submitted bids in response to the government’s Request for Proposals (RFP) concerning the Corporation’s privatisation.

Mr Miller said: “I believe the minister made some comments on it yesterday. We have heard a lot about it in the press, there are firms that are looking to assist BEC in reducing the cost of electricity.

“We look forward to working with whichever one comes with the best price and the best programme and proposal that we believe we can live with and that the government can accept and BEC will have an integral role in whatever decision is made.

“We strongly support the government’s RFP which seeks to find a suitable conglomerate to manage BEC and subsequently reduce the cost of electricity to Bahamians. A number of bids have already been submitted and we have no doubt that the chosen company will accomplish the government’s mandate.”