By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
WORKS Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the government is on schedule with its revised time-table for the restructuring of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation as it eyes an October date for a finalised shortlist of bidders.
“We have our expert team and advisors now visiting sites,” Mr Davis told The Tribune this week. “They are viewing the operations and capacities first hand of the short listed bidders to be able to advise us. Hopefully that will be completed by October 10. Then, once we get those reports, we will decide the way forward.”
Two weeks ago, Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Paul Maynard said his union would not support the government as it forged ahead with reforming BEC if the bidding process continued to be secretive.
Mr Maynard said union officials had met with KPMG, the government’s advisor for the restructuring process, but added that the meeting only left more questions than answers.
While confirming that no company had been officially chosen to handle BEC’s management and distribution, Mr Maynard said the field was narrowed down to three bidders. He said a deadline of sometime before November 1 had been tentatively set.
“We met with them for two and a half hours and still left with little new information,” the union leader said in an earlier interview.
“The process is just way too slow and is not transparent. We know that whoever the company is, (it) will begin their management in November but we don’t know who the company is and what they are prepared to offer the Bahamian people. This is something that is most urgent to the people.
He added: “They wanted to make sure we were on board, that the unions were okay with everything. At this point, we cannot say we are because we still have no idea how the deal is structured. We do not know what people are getting out of it. We do not know if it is the best deal for the Bahamian people.”
Mr Maynard urged the government to be transparent, saying if it did not, the BEC reform process would likely mimic the controversial privatisation of BTC.
Last August, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced plans to divide BEC in two separate entities. He said it was envisioned that one company would run the transmission, distribution and customer billing, while another company would offer power generation.
Initially, the government was supposed to select BEC’s preferred bidders by November 2013.
In July, a deadline was been set for August 30.
At that time, the remaining bidders included four focusing on the generation side and just one on transmission and distribution, Carolina-based Power Secure, according to Tribune Business. Generation bidders include the Caribbean Power Partners consortium, featuring Fluor Corporation and ProEnergy Services, and Cayman-based Inter-Energy. The remaining bidders are thought to include Genting and other Asian energy players.
Comments
GrassRoot 10 years, 1 month ago
Mañana.....Mañana... yawwwn.
DonAnthony 10 years, 1 month ago
Wake up Bahamians. Mr. Davis and this government do not give a damn about you. Watch his actions and do not listen to his hot air. Reform after numerous delays will come at the earliest a year late. During this time the prime minister's residence has been powered by solar and the deputy prime minister has not had his power disconnected, but over 5000 homes in this country have no power! That is scandalous and shameful. That is HOMES not people, households with many people suffering from these callous uncaring leaders. They do not give a damn about Bahamians. Until the masses wake up nothing will change. What should be done is the first 100 - 150 kwhr of electricity per month should be free for every household in this country. That way every family at a minimum can keep a refridgerator , lights, and fans on. People could live with dignity. Then every bill above the 100 minimum must be paid in full every month or be disconnected, no exceptions. No one could amass then an outstanding balance that they can not pay. No one has an excuse anymore. This is a simple, just, solution.
The_Oracle 10 years, 1 month ago
DonAnthony, how about the first $100 at the grocery store be free also? And the first $10 in gas per week? There is no such thing as free, period, someone will pay for it. If Government, we will all pay for it thru increased taxation. If the private sector, prices will increase or the businesses will shut down. I agree with the first part of your comment, The political elite will always look after themselves, but at your expense. Where do you think the need for VAT comes from? No doubt the winning bidder has already been told that those houses will be done with solar "gratis" 37th out of 38 Caribbean Countries with Solar implementation folks, bleed on.
DonAnthony 10 years, 1 month ago
Of course it will be paid for by higher rates on those that consume more electricity, who are the people who can most afford it. I am in that category, I do not want to pay higher rates but to have this many homes disconnected is simply unacceptable, and putting people on payment plans can not work when they can not pay their bills in the first place. Think of all the social ills a lack of electricity leads to. Children from disadvantaged homes can scarcely be expected to function properly without electricity in modern society. We will be subsidizing the poor but it will lead hopefully to he alleviating of some social ills that a lack of electricity leads to. On ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure ad we must find ways to prevent social ills before they occur. I hate increased taxes as much as anyone but Taxes are the prices we pay to live in a civil society.
asiseeit 10 years, 1 month ago
NOT being fiscally prudent is unacceptable, chew on that! Go look at many of the houses that are cut off and you will find a Honda with 22" rims in the driveway and everyone wearing Tommy. Check it and tell me if I lie. Bahamians are not taught the basics of how to manage their money, shoot they are hardly taught anything in the lousy school system.
DonAnthony 10 years, 1 month ago
I agree with you wholeheartedly on our people not being fiscally prudent. You are speaking to the choir, I have lived my entire life debt free and was able to retire at 43 by being fiscally prudent, so it goes against my fiber to subsidize other people's wastefulness. Nonetheless, we can not expect to have a proper functioning society if 6% of our society lives without electricity. This small level of welfare will more than pay for itself in reduced social ills. Of course it should be accompanied by privatizing B.E.C., which if done properly will improve efficiency that would more than cover the subsidy of 100 kWh or $40 to each home.
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 1 month ago
Did Perry not say about a month ago that he had made his decision!?!?
Jesus!! Can we please get this traitorous, inept group of clowns out of office PLEASE?!?!?
realfreethinker 10 years, 1 month ago
Now he say they are not looking to get to companies for BEC now,they are looking for a management company like NAD at the airport. ABSOLUTELY NO PLANNING BY THIS GOV.
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