BEC Chairman Leslie Miller
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
TWO Bahamas Electricity Corporation cashiers were questioned by management yesterday after they allegedly accepted $100,000 in cash towards paying off the electricity bill arrears for BEC Chairman Leslie Miller’s family-owned business.
According to Bahamas Electrical Workers Union President, Paul Maynard, the employees were told that it was against BEC’s policy to accept more than $10,000 in cash.
According to sources, the $100,000 was paid at BEC’s post office branch, in three payments of $25,000, $50,000 and another $25,000 because the corporation’s main branch on Baillou Hill Road, refused to accept the cash.
Mr Maynard said the cashiers in question did not know about BEC’s policy on cash payments and he will “not let them take the rap for this mess”.
“If BEC wanted the employees to know about this policy they would have put it in writing and given it to the employees, but these ladies knew nothing about it. They did not know about the policy and the union is not prepared to allow BEC cashiers to take the fall,” he said.
“They better not think about dealing with them in anyway and not punish them. It is not the staff’s business how someone pays as long as they do pay.”
The deposit came days after it was revealed that Mr Miller and one of his family-owned businesses owed the corporation a total of $239,533.33.
In a press statement the managing directors of Mario’s Bowling & Family Entertainment Palace and Summer Winds Investment Company Limited confirmed that the $100,000 payment was towards the bill for the Harrold Road bowling alley, which The Tribune understands is $193,159.56.
When contacted yesterday, Leslia Miller, daughter of Leslie Miller and vice president of Food and Beverage at Mario’s Bowling and Family Entertainment Palace, would not comment on whether or not the bill was paid in cash or by cashier’s cheque.
Mr Miller could not be reached for comment. However, he told The Tribune on Wednesday that the bill had been paid by cashier’s cheque. He also said he will not step down as chairman of BEC, despite a call for his resignation from union leaders because of his BEC bills. He said he “will not be distracted from the job he has set out to do, which is to lower the cost of electricity for all consumers within the Bahamas.”
“My personal bill at BEC is up to date and my family’s bill at BEC is up to date,” the chairman said yesterday, as he defended himself against critics who said his bill is a conflict of interest considering his role at the corporation.
“We’ve already paid BEC. Since Mario’s started three years ago, we’ve already paid BEC in excess of over $1 million. Every company in this country, depending on the magnitude, owes BEC money. In fact, I said from the beginning when I was appointed that we had a bill to BEC just like everybody else. So I never ran away from my bill.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 10 years, 5 months ago
If you do not pay you are in trouble, and if you pay you are in trouble. so what is one to do?
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
What is one to do? "Follow the rules" birdie. Simple. There's a reason they don't accept large sums of money at the branch, the rule was not made up to foil PLPs or expose them to embarrassment. Monetary limits are typically in place to pick up on suspicious transactions. Such rules are commonly a part of international compliance treaties that we sign on to. Even the act of breaking the payment into smaller amounts would have been flagged as "suspicious", actually this would been an even bigger red flag.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
Take this example birdie, you find yourself in a bind. You need 100,000 today and you do not have it. So, you go to a drug dealer to "borrow" the funds. He happens to have the money available because he just completed a major drug deal. He gives you the money and you agree to pay him 2000 per month until the "loan" is paid off. You win and the drug dealer wins, he has just successfully laundered 100,000 of his cash that he knows NO bank in the country would accept as a deposit. Further, you've just acted as his mule.
Honestman 10 years, 5 months ago
One is supposed to seek LEGITIMATE financing - that is what one is supposed to do. One is supposed to behave in accordance with conduct becoming of a member of Parliament and asking a BEC cashier to accept $100,000 in cash is NOT acceptable behavior. Surely you must understand this?
marrcus 10 years, 5 months ago
Why pay in cash? Must be a reason?
Honestman 10 years, 5 months ago
You are serious with this question??.
thomas 10 years, 5 months ago
they were turned away from one location and went to another knowing what they were doing was wrong...is there no end to the law breaking
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrades the most dangerous man to weaken any government's "majority mandate" could be a man who despite all the evidence pointing to him as a loose cannon with no desire to ever become a teammate of the PM but as someone who when alone, shouldn't be allowed to talk directly to the media, yet is permitted by the PM who appointed him, to actually think through what he really be’s thinking in he "Pot Cake" head, out loud and in front of reporters. And, Comrades, I ain’t even got’s the time now to dwell too much on that $100,000 CASH Light Bills Payment, reportedly made to a BEC cashier? If, the $100,000 hanging around your establishment is true, this is the same loose cannon who pulled off that; grabbed he loaded shotgun gimmick to chase down those alleged robbers, had better keep his shotgun loaded, after the broadcasting to would-be-robbers, how he establishments likes paying they big bills in CA$H. Comrades, you couldn’t make this Leslie long-running soap opera up, not even if you were to hire the top writers from all the Late Night US TV Talk Shows. Besides ... ‘tis so damn localized politically juicy to dare alter the Comrade Leslie script.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
I'd say the most dangerous man is the one who appointed him in the first place. What other disastrous uninformed decisions is he making?
Greentea 10 years, 5 months ago
It is past time for those posing as wealthy, respectable, society members, no matter what their political stripe, to pay their damn bills. how many of them can actually run a "successful" business without government assistance- whether it's a loan they can't pay back, a government contract, or a political connection that allows them to not pay utility bills in a timely fashion? if they can't pay their own bills or run a successful business- why should we put them in charge of the people's purse? I am tired of Distractions by these unethical, entitled, and criminal spin doctors. their level of entitlement is despicable! these double and triple standards will be the end of this country. And My Dear Lady P. I am a fan, but if you can't pay the property tax- DOWNSIZE- stop frontin' and paying for pride! And before we focus too much on this - she gat plenty company- we big on appearances in this country, too big! Miller has no shame. Perry Christie if you don't do some housecleaning - QUICK FAST AND IN A HURRY you will become a historical joke- unfortunately the ultimate joke will be on the future of the country.
Publius 10 years, 5 months ago
Money laundering
John 10 years, 5 months ago
Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. 5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.…
John 10 years, 5 months ago
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
51:1-6 David, being convinced of his sin, poured out his soul to God in prayer for mercy and grace. Whither should backsliding children return, but to the Lord their God, who alone can heal them? he drew up, by Divine teaching, an account of the workings of his heart toward God. Those that truly repent of their sins, will not be ashamed to own their repentance. Also, he instructs others what to do, and what to say. David had not only done much, but suffered much in the cause of God; yet he flees to God's infinite mercy, and depends upon that alone for pardon and peace. He begs the pardon of sin. The blood of Christ, sprinkled upon the conscience, blots out the transgression, and, having reconciled us to God, reconciles us to ourselves. The believer longs to have the whole debt of his sins blotted out, and every stain cleansed; he would be thoroughly washed from all his sins; but the hypocrite always has some secret reserve, and would have some favorite lust spared. David had such a deep sense of his sin, that he was continually thinking of it, with sorrow and shame. His sin was committed against God, whose truth we deny by wilful sin; with him we deal deceitfully. And the truly penitent will ever trace back the streams of actual sin to the fountain of original depravity. He confesses his original corruption. This is that foolishness which is bound in the heart of a child, that proneness to evil, and that backwardness to good, which is the burden of the regenerate, and the ruin of the unregenerate
Cobalt 10 years, 5 months ago
Wow. You even make the bible sound like rubbish.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
Was wondering how exactly all of that fit...
Cobalt 10 years, 5 months ago
It doesn't fit or corroborate with anything related to this story. It's just more of John's typical, nonsensical, foolish writing that he's quickly becoming known for. But this time (for whatever reason) he's decided to incorporate biblical scripture into his senseless jargon, that's left those of us with sense scratching our heads. Go figure.
John 10 years, 5 months ago
and what is the meaning of cobalt? a blue element that spews arsenic poison
bahamasoapmama 10 years, 5 months ago
I'm confused at how they were allowed to get such a large bill in the first place. There needs to be an across the board policy of what amount for private residences and commercial buildings need to reach in arrears before they are cut off. This is ridiculous.
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
It is time for our LEADERS to GROW UP. What a bunch of snot nosed children we have as our supposed leaders! This is transparent as it comes, who is the potcakes son in law and what does he do? Ah-ha, Birdie, think on that one. WAKE UP BAHAMAS! GROW UP BAHAMAS! 1+1=2.
observer2 10 years, 5 months ago
I think may warrant a Suspicious Transaction Report by BEC or BEC's Bankers under the Bahamian Money Laundering Laws and Guidelines.
Please remember however that under our legal system you are innocent until proven otherwise.
The link to the money laundering guidelines is as follows:
https://www.bahamas.gov.bs/wps/wcm/conn…
On large cash transactions the guidelines state in section 6.1 of a 90 guideline:
"There are three stages of laundering, which broadly speaking, occur in sequence but often overlap.
6.1 I. .....In the case of many serious ....., the proceeds take the form of cash, which the ......wishes to place in the financial system. Placement may be achieved by a wide variety of means according to the opportunity afforded to and the ingenuity of the........., his advisers and network. Typically, it may include: -
• placing of cash on deposit at a bank (often intermingled with a legitimate credit to obscure the audit trail), thus converting cash into a readily recoverable debt; or
• physically moving cash between jurisdictions; or
• making loans in cash to businesses which seem to be legitimate or are connected with legitimate businesses, thus also converting cash into debt; or
• purchasing high-value goods for personal use or expensive presents to reward existing or potential colleagues; or
• purchasing the services of high-value individuals; or
• purchasing negotiable assets in one-off transactions; or
• placing cash in the client account of a professional intermediary."
We have the laws, regulations, regulators and enforcement officers in place to review and ensure that this transaction was legitimate.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
It is time for the voting public to really have a say at the constituency level of the candidates who will be put forward by the political parties to represent us in Parliament. It must be embarrassing for right-thinking and law abiding constituents to acknowledge some of their MPs ........... regardless of party affiliation. The mere fact that the vast majority of the MPs dont live or have full-time, engaged offices in their constituencies, tells us something about the quality of representation we are getting from these so-called politicians............. SMH
Voters must demand more for their vote ........... No taxation without representation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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