The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – Several major fast food restaurants and commercial businesses and a resort here on the island turned on their generators as part of a boycott spearheaded by the Coalition for Concerned Citizens against the Grand Bahama Power Company.

Residents in various residential subdivisions, such as Bahamia, Freeport/Lucaya, and in West and East Grand Bahama have also shut off their power.

“We have turned off the power at all three of our businesses and are using our generators,” said businessman Ken Symonette.

He said the two KFC restaurants – one at Pioneer’s Way and one at Yellow Pine Street, and Pizza Hut on the Mall, are operating on generator power.

There are unconfirmed reports that Pollo Tropical on East Sunrise Highway and Burger King at Ranfurly Circus had also turned on their generators.

The CCC called for consumers to participate in a 12-hour “voluntary blackout,” commencing at 8am on Tuesday. Consumers were also asked not to go in and pay their bills at the Power Company.

Pastor Eddie Victor and a number of concerned persons gathered at the Power Company Head Office on Pioneer’s Way around 1pm, where they held a prayer march.

Protestors prayed and marched around the building, with placards. Despite the inclement weather, they continued to march and pray for an hour.

Pastor Victor was pleased with the support they have received from residents and business owners.

He reported that a major timeshare resort in Lucaya also turned off its power in support of the boycott.

“There is clear support for what we are doing,” he said. “People are hurting and we need to see relief (in power rates) immediately.”

Pastor Victor said they will push to end the monopoly on power if the Power Company does not voluntarily lower its rates.

“I am prepared to do what we need to do in order to see the change take place in Grand Bahama when it comes to power rates,” he added.

A number of passing vehicles honked their horns in support of the Coalition for Concerned Citizens (CCC) whose members had gathered in front of the Power Company.

“We are obviously impacting and getting people’s attention,” Pastor Victor said.

He was disappointed that Power Company CEO Sarah McDonald has refused to meet or talk with the Coalition.

“When I call the Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville, or the president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, or Sarah St George, the vice chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, I get a return call and an appointment to see them, but I have never gotten a return call from Ms McDonald,” he said.

Businessman Ken Symonette said he fully supports the CCC and what they are doing to lower the cost of power on Grand Bahama.

“We have so many living in Grand Bahama with no power; they can’t afford to pay the power bill and they’re running to the Power Company with every dime they get.

“Power is not a luxury item, this is something we need to live from day to day. It is something that the rich, middle class, and poor should be able to afford,” he said.

Businessman Jeff Butler said consumers in Grand Bahama are paying 40 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared to one cent paid by consumers in the Dominican Republic, three cents in Cuba, and six cents in Florida.

“Even at 40 cents they are spinning the meters and we are actually paying double that,” he claimed.

“I proved it when I took my company off the grid 18 months ago. We were operating our generators 24 hours a day, seven days a week at less than 50 per cent of the cost at the Power Company – how is that possible?”

“This is not just refurbishing of a 48-year-old generator they mistakenly paid too many millions for. They put in a new generator and then capitalize it over five years instead of 15 years. The Bahamas as a country can’t afford that,” he said.

Mr Butler believes that the problem, however, lies with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, the regulators of Freeport, and with government who he feels are both are sitting back and doing nothing about the power situation.

“The Port Authority is making millions of dollars every year off of the Bahamian people as the regulators, and the government will not do anything until 10 days to the next general election – this is our problem.”

Mr Butler said the biggest issue is when Bahamians stay at home and do not come out to support such efforts.

“They can’t pay the power bill, but they don’t come out and support things like this. It is the Bahamian people who will run these people (EMERA) out of town,” said the seventh generation businessman.