Phillip Brave Davis
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis credited PowerSecure yesterday for reductions in local electricity prices, saying “dramatic” improvements are already being reaped in the country.
Mr Davis was asked if Bahamas Power & Light (BPL), formerly the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, has given the government its long-awaited business plan.
He said yes, but it is unclear whether the plan will be released to the public.
“(Electricity services) has already dramatically improved,” he said. “Check your bill. Compare it to May 2012; there has been across the board improvements. Our promise is to ensure a lower cost of electricity from May 2012.”
Last year Mr Davis said after PowerSecure’s management deal was finalised, Bahamians could expect a 40 per cent reduction in electricity costs “immediately.”
Yesterday he said there has so far already been a “more than 40 per cent reduction” compared to May 2012.
“These are the things that are readily available,” he said. “Look at your bill in May 2012 and look at it now. Look at how many times your light has turned off in the same period and compare it to now.”
During a signing of a five-year management services agreement for BPL in February, Prime Minister Perry Christie also said he was “hopeful that the signing would reduce the cost for electricity for consumers in a significant way.”
Nonetheless, it is not clear if BPL, which only recently released its business plan to the government, has had a role in the reduction of electricity costs.
“They have not done anything about that,” FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest countered yesterday in response to Mr Davis’ statement.
“The cost of oil worldwide is down and they are benefiting from that. Tell them to show if the base price has been reduced. It hasn’t.”
Indeed, experts say falling oil prices is behind lower electricity costs.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Bahamas’ oil import bill was expected to be slashed in half in 2015 because of the decline in global oil prices, saving the country about $240-$250 million.
The IMF said at the time that the Bahamas should take advantage of this “breathing space” to complete restructuring plans for the state owned power provider and to embrace renewable energy sources.
However experts expect the fall in global oil prices to be temporary.
Paul Maynard, president of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), acknowledged this in an interview with The Tribune yesterday, saying he expects PowerSecure to create lower energy prices by switching the Bahamas from its reliance on oil to “propane and natural gas.”
“I am hoping that it happens within this year, by the end of it,” Mr Maynard said when contacted. “The transition won’t cost that much but they will have to make temporary provisions while decommissioning the plants that we have now while they build new ones.”
Comments
cmiller 8 years, 7 months ago
The price went down because the price of oil went down, dumbass.
Economist 8 years, 7 months ago
So why did BEC not do it? This is not rocket science to change over to natural gas. This has been known for years.
Oh yes, a foreigner suggested it now. That is why the government will approve.
I really hope he did not mean propane.
DonAnthony 8 years, 7 months ago
Is our DPM serious? He can not be that dumb, maybe he is, it would explain a lot. Lower electricity rates are simply because the price of oil has fallen significantly. PERIOD. And I have as much impact on the price of oil as he or BPL does,which is none. So he should shut up and let us presume how dumb he is, for each time he opens his mouth he removes all doubt.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Oh yes Don ............ he is that dumb ....... and crooked with it
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 7 months ago
It's bad enough knowing this pudgy round fella has short stubby grubby dirty sticky fingers.....but my God, must The Tribune always show the same photo of him with that detestably dreadful looking booger hanging from his left nostril?!
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
Thats not a bogger hanging from his snoz , its all thats left of his brain!
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
I for one LOVE the picture! It alone speaks volumes about him.
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 7 months ago
Is Brave really this dumb? Who believes anything these PLP say anymore????
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
.............. DPM Davis is not dumb but he is 100% convinced that we are ................
Statements like this by Sticky Fingers Davis confirms these idiots truly believe Bahamians are totally ignorant.
Crude oil hit $30.00 a barrel August of 2015, now currently hovering around $38.00 to $44.00 a barrel and expected to free fall now that Iran is back in the picture and Opec failing to convince the Saudi's not to increase production.
http://www.infomine.com/investment/meta…
With Venezuela and Trinidad economies in recession caused by the global oil glut, further downward pressure on pricing is to be expected as they pump more oil to prop up failing economies.
The real question here is, Why did it take a full year after crude oil spot prices dropped more than 50% for Bahamians to realize any savings?
*DPM Davis is as trustworthy as PM Christie....*No surprise there!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Who owns the major petroleum distribution business in the Bahamas??? ...... You can easily tell what businesses our politicians are associated with as "partners" .......... they fiercely defend their special interests ............... They mimick Putin and the Russian plutocrats ....... or the Bahamian "Bay Street Boys" of a by-gone age (before Majority Rule)
John 8 years, 7 months ago
And I was thinking Carnival cause da electricity bill to come down..
FactCheck 8 years, 7 months ago
There is not one single thing that the Bahamas Government nor PowerSecure has done to date that has had any effect on reducing the Cost of Electricity within the Shores of the Bahamas.
In fact, the actions of the Government via the Reform Process, to date, has increased the Cost of producing electricity within the shores of the Bahamas.
For example:
1) The Management Fee Has Created an Increase 2) The Salary of the Executive Board Director has Created an Increase 3) The Salary of the Consultant to the Board has Created an Increase 4) The Millions of Dollars that has Been Paid to KPMG to Evaluate the Reform Process has Created an Increase 5) The Rental of Temporary Equipment has Created an Increase in Cost 6) The Extra Transportation and Accommodations for Foreign Workers and Work Permits has Created an Increase 7) The Volume of Fuel Burned has Increased thereby Creating an Increase 8) The Damage to the Environment due to Fuel Leakage into the Ocean and Soil has caused an Increase in Cost 9) The list can be expanded......if it is challenged.....and it can become more specific....if someone has the nerve to dispute it.....
Let me close by stating that there is approximately 1 cent/kWh that has been added to the Cost of Generating Electricity without demonstrating or showing the Bahamian People one single iota of verifiable cost reduction at BEC and the fact exist to prove this assertion.
Moreover, there is not one single Bahamian or Foreign Expert that can produce any credible or verifiable evidence to validate that the Heat Rate of the Existing BEC equipment has been reduced by Maintenance or some form of Mechanical/Electrical Improvement that leads to a state of burning less fuel to produce electricity within the Shores of the Bahamas.
Finally, no man or spirit has done one single act to improve the Efficiency, Reliability, and Availability of the Equipment Lot at BEC.....and hence, BEC remains either in the same state that it was on May 7th, 2012 or in Worst Shape....that it was 4 years ago.....
I await the Critics....so bring it on!
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 7 months ago
Spot on! You've got the pudgy round one with the short stubby grubby dirty yellow sticky fingers running for the hills as fast as he can.
harri 8 years, 7 months ago
power off now in north mackey st area
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Power goes off every three days or so. When the cuts started last year they made a hasty announcement that we should "expect" "more" power cuts due to system upgrades. Which was a little unbelievable, typically you warn people before a likely event, not after. When the cuts continued into this year they came up with a new explanation, "challenges at Blue Hills". The union president quickly moved to advise the public that something had to be done soon to prevent major problems during the summer. Exactly what has changed?
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
........The meteorological summer will begin on 01 June ending on 31 August.........
This summer promises to more sever than 2015. Better get your generators serviced and fueled now to be ready for even more frequent power cuts. The Tribune bargain section has some good deals on generators. A few friends and I bought some, they work fantastic and are well worth the investment and peace of mind. Now we really don't care if BEC work or not.
BEC has been lousy for 43 years and will continue being lousy as a reflection of lousy management guided by these lousy, good for nothing, self serving, corrupt politicians.
Davis and Christie couldn't be honest if they were washed in the blood of Jesus!
BoopaDoop 8 years, 7 months ago
BEC and now Bahamas Power and Light is a 'cookie jar' and vehicle for securing votes. Period.
Abaconian 8 years, 7 months ago
Wait till oil prices rise again. Electricity will be higher than it ever was before. These fellas haven't done a thing to decrease the cost of electricity. They are just riding on the coat-tail of something that they have zero influence over.
VDSheep 8 years, 7 months ago
Government ought to have outsourced BEC contract to the Germans ' they are the leader in alternative energy use in the whole world today. Germany produces more alternative power than any country. US companies too often prefer fossil fuel - it's what drives their thinking. Big oil has one concept: fossil. The Bahamas is well placed for alternative energy: sun, tidal and wind to start with. How do we get politicians to make right decisions that benefit the people - that is the real question! If any Bahamian government is smart enough ' it will - go to the IMF or World Bank (with a proper plan) and borrow enough money to make the entire Bahamas alternative energy useful!
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Wow, he just made a statement that he voted against the 2002 referendum, not because he opposed equal rights for women, but because ~"items were added that made the questions confusing"..... I need the wheel of fortune music while my brain mulls this over for a second......exactly how is this different from the opposition they are getting today????.? If I were the Vote no people I'd immediately start work on the "DPM says Vote No if questions are confusing" add.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
ANY WORD ON WHEN THE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT AND THE BUSINESS PLAN WILL BE RELEASED TO THE BAHAMIAN PUBLIC ..........BRAVE???????? Feb 9 was over 3 months ago (that is not "soon") ............. Are you creating a specially concocted MSA/Plan for us to read????? ........ How come we have not heard one word from the new white BPL boss ........ Pam Hill??????? .......... this just seems so shady
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