BEC Chairman Leslie Miller
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE head of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation has called for the company to be privatised and suggested that union presence is stifling its functionability and potential for growth.
BEC Executive Chairman Leslie Miller said the “best place in the future” for the corporation is to be privatised, a move which he said could potentially reduce billing costs “by a minimum of 20 to 40 per cent over a three-year period.”
However, Mr Miller suggested that the presence of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union is preventing the corporation from “running effectively”.
“We could turn BEC around you know,” he said at a Rotary Club of East Nassau luncheon on Friday.
“Buy it, privatise it and start from scratch. Say (to employees) these are the rules upon which you will work.
“You don’t get an increase in salary because you’re part of the union. You get it based on merit, based on performance.
“You don’t turn the light off because when we are negotiating and we don’t give you what you want, you go and destroy my equipment.”
“And then I cave in, because none of us can last three days without light, right? So what you think been happening over the last 30 years?
“In BEC you can’t let nobody go, you can’t fire nobody. So what do you do? You form a new entity that’s not BEC. If you want to work for me, here are my rules, here are my regulations, here’s my salary scales, I’ll pay you good, but you got to work.
“The best place in the future for BEC is to be privatised. Get a group of men together, and do it right. Privatise it and you’ll see the difference. You’ll see how costs will go down by a minimum of 20 to 40 per cent over a three-year period. It can be done easily.”
Since his appointment at BEC, Mr Miller has been embroiled in several public spats with unions representing workers at the corporation, specifically over overtime pay and “double dipping”, which allowed employees to collect sick pay and benefits from the National Insurance Board (NIB).
Recently, he and BEWU President Paul Maynard have been embroiled in a media spat over the cause of an island-wide blackout that occurred last weekend.
Although officially said to have been caused by a “fire in the trenches” at the Blue Hills Power Station, Mr Miller initially claimed the fire erupted after an “overloaded wire” came into contract with oil that had dripped.
He blamed the problem on the management and staff, stating that adequate preventative measures were not taken by employees. However, he said, he doubts any one will be held responsible for the dereliction of duty because of union interference.
“The government ain’t in charge of BEC, the union in charge,” he said.
Mr Maynard subsequently rejected Mr Miller’s claims that “improper maintenance and negligence by BEC workers” caused the blackout. He insisted that a “fault occurred in the system”, causing a fire and the subsequent meltdown.
He called for the government to fire Mr Miller from his post as executive chairman. He said the government “will see” what will happen if it does not “get rid” of Mr Miller.
Mr Miller subsequently apologised for his statements, saying that his words were taken out of context.
Comments
duppyVAT 9 years, 8 months ago
Leslie does not run BEC .......... the Cabinet Minister and the GM run BEC. Leslie is a political appointee who really serves very little purpose for collecting $100,000 of our taxpayers' money .................................... its the political "buddy" system
DonAnthony 9 years, 8 months ago
Good point, Mr. miller is the most forceful advocate for why his job should be made redundant. If he is so powerless why are we paying him $100,000? Please fire him and reduce my bill if only by $1 per year.
Romrok 9 years, 8 months ago
Most logical thing he has said yet. Dismiss all the staff and sell the whole thing. Have the new company train staff that actually want to work.
bahamalove 9 years, 8 months ago
If I'm one of those companies vying for that management contract, I would seriously reconsider. I would not touch B.E.C. with a 10 foot pole unless I'm taking ownership of the company like Leslie Miller said. These foreign entities do not know what they are getting into. The Union will have the winning company running from this country with their tail between their legs in a few years. They will spend most of the time fighting with the Union and eventually conceding to Union demands because the Government will always cave in and back the Union because of votes. Lower electricity costs will become a myth. Remaining Bidders, you've been warned! It's not too late to cut your losses now and pack up and go home.
electricity_bahamas 9 years, 8 months ago
The Government and it's advisers, Simon Townend (KPMG) and Deepak Bhatnagar, are largely to blame for a failed process. If you can even call it a process. Christie has mismanaged what could have been a fantastic opportunity for the Bahamian public to benefit from the influx of cheap Chinese capital. The Chinese (through CCA) were involved in the bidding process as reported by this and other publications, and I'm sure they would have more than willing to run the management company if given the opportunity to build the power plant as well as fuel receiving facilities. They could have easily financed the legacy debt, term supply contract and construction of the plant at rates that no other commercial lender would extend to the Bahamian government. Worrying about the over involvement of CCA in the Bahamian economy is also overstated and the overriding concern should be to secure cheaper long term electricity.
duppyVAT 9 years, 8 months ago
How much more do you want us to get in bed with the Chinese???????? They do not play fairly .......... they will eat us up and spit us out ......... SMH Donot sell your soul for cheap money now............. China is like a crack dealer
electricity_bahamas 9 years, 8 months ago
The one thing that is clear right now is that Christie, Davis, Dorsett and their advisers are not capable of solving complex problems that face Bahamians today.
A complete solution to the BEC situation is YEARS away. The patches will not work in the long run. Good Luck
Mayaguana34 9 years, 8 months ago
KPMG should be ashamed to associated with such a bungled mess - two years and no decision made?
electricity_bahamas 9 years, 8 months ago
Yes, they have to ensure that they have job security. Can't complete a job. Simon has complete job security.
Economist 9 years, 8 months ago
KPMG was hired to make recommendations. They made the recommendations in a timely manner. The government has dilly dallied with it. Some one or more of them trying to figure what they can get out of it, just as they did with Renew Bahamas.
We need a Freedom of Information Act
electricity_bahamas 9 years, 8 months ago
What does KPMG know about running an electric utility or managing utility generation assets? Who says they are qualified? The PM and DPM just want protection and the ability to deflect responsibility for the inevitable disaster this process would become. Simon Townend and Deepak Bhatnagar don't have any idea what they're doing. The complicated process of fixing BEC is nothing like building an airport. Good Luck
John 9 years, 8 months ago
How much did the Bahamas benefit from privatizing BTC? The only thing improved by c&w was their marketing. They couldn't get the cell phone system to work in four years and had to bring back the same Bahamian they fired to get it right or at least close to being right as it has been in many years. BTC. Was making the same profits with twice the number of (bahamian) employees as it has now. Plus it had Bahamian partners making a comfortable living distributing it's products. Don't buy the "foreign is better" lie. Under C&W, BTC may look good but it still sounds like piece a shitz on long distance. And guess where most of the profits going now
duppyVAT 9 years, 8 months ago
Mother England
John 9 years, 8 months ago
And don't forget, the foreign white man sent here to manage BTC under Cable and Wireless was fired after almost 30 years with C&W. His local sidekick also resigned under a dark cloud of mystery.
duppyVAT 9 years, 8 months ago
Cable & Wireless = England ........... Digicel= Ireland............. Cable Bahamas = Canada .................so take your pick when it comes to privatizing telecoms/TV .......... its still foreign controlled .................. PLP=FNM ............................all foreign lovers
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