The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s (BEC) former executive chairman denied that he and the former Board were responsible for Nassau’s current blackouts, instead blaming the Government for failing to sign-off on a maintenance contract last winter.

Leslie Miller said BEC was unable to do maintenance at its Clifiton Pier generation plant as a result, and said of the former Board: “We did what we were supposed to do.”

Mr Miller told Tribune Business yesterday: “When the Board was there we spent several million refurbishing Clifton. What they didn’t do, they didn’t refurbish the engines at Clifton last winter, and they were supposed to.

“They were waiting on government to sign the contract and no one wanted to make a decision. They can’t blame us for anything. We did what we were supposed to do.”

Mr Miller added that he backed the assessment by his predecessor, Michael Moss, who recently pegged the cost to overhaul the utility at under $100 million - not the $800 million suggested by Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), president Paul Maynard.

“I agree with Michael Moss. All you need is $100 million. You certainly don’t need $700 million,” Mr Miller said.

“New people are there now, so let them do whatever they have to do. As Bahamians, the plan we had was as good as their’s or better. The job we did was one that was appreciated by most Bahamians. We demonstrated that we were capable of running our own affairs.”

    The head of Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) managerial union earlier this week blamed Mr Miller and his Board for Nassau’s ongoing power blackouts.

Clinton Minnis, the Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union’s (BEUMU) president, seemingly came to the defense of BPL and its manager, PowerSecure International, charging that they had inherited a mess from the Government and Mr Miller.

Mr Minnis said the protracted negotiations with PowerSecure over the outsourcing of BPL’s management had contributed to the current energy generation challenges plaguing New Providence, as maintenance was placed on hold.