The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FOR 14 days now, Francita Strachan has been cut off from family and friends whom she imagines are concerned about her well being, as she’s been unable to make and receive phone calls or even take a proper bath because she lives on the half of Sea Link Avenue that has yet to be energised by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).

Mrs Strachan said these days, apart from longing for breeze to cool her off as she sits on her porch, she hopes to see at least one BPL truck on her street.

This, Mrs Strachan told The Tribune yesterday, would give her optimism that she and her neighbours will have power soon. Sea Link Avenue is in southern New Providence.

“We have no phone, no light and no water,” she said. “So this very much so affects me. We are next to okay in the day, except for the heat, but at night with no light and no water it’s rough. I have to struggle to lift that big heavy thing of water to flush my toilet. I’ve also lost several hundred dollars worth of food from the two large freezers that we have.

“I can’t call anyone so I hope, I hope, I really hope that BPL would come and get us on soon.”

Right next to Ms Strachan’s residence, sat a frustrated Thisley Frazier. He’s been living in his home since 1982 and said this ordeal has been hard to live through, especially with family, including a young grandson, to worry about.

He said having to tote water in a large barrel every night was the least of his concerns, as he fears mostly for his family’s safety.

“The light is everything here. There is no water, no phone, no nothing. Right now it’s either getting water from friends and family, but mostly I go to the government pump in the Grove or anywhere nearby.

“I am frustrated of course. I have kids and I have a grandson and all that. Water is essential for everyone. Like later on tonight I will go and get that (water) drum right there and I will refill that hopefully.”

The Tribune then visited neighbourhoods in the eastern end of the island where residents expressed similar frustrations.

Lloyd Ranger, of Sea Fan Drive, said he doubts that under the old Bahamas Electricity Corporation, power supply would have been disconnected for so long. He said the heat has prevented him from taking a good night’s rest and also has him terrified to leave his home at night.

“They turned us off on the Wednesday night (October 5) when the storm came so from week before last and I haven’t seen any BPL trucks despite them having put up two new poles round the corner.

“I am tired of this. It is so frustrating. This a bunch of foolishness I don’t understand this. I am really not coping well.

“I haven’t slept a good night or had a good meal from the current went off. I want the power on man. I am afraid to come out at night because there is no power.”

He continued: “Listen I believe that if it was BEC the way it was before we would have had power already. These people just don’t know what they are doing you know.”

Another resident, Burkett Dorsett, said he understands that BPL faces some challenges, but he would have liked to hear more from the electricity provider.

Mr Dorsett said: “I understand the situation, but someone should have come around and said something. We should be told on a daily basis not reading in the newspaper when they work in this area. Putting it in the papers is easy to say, but we actually need to see the people working. Someone should come around and say something that this is the situation and why it’s taking so long then we will understand that.”

BPL said yesterday that more than 12,000 of its customers in New Providence remain without power, with electricity expected to be restored to most customers by the end of the week.

Crews were said to be working in the following areas: Nassau Village, St Andrew’s Beach, Carmichael Road (Sunset Park), Arawak Cay Port, Coconut Grove (surrounding areas), Andros Avenue, Wilson Tract, Eastern Road, Wulff Road (surrounding areas), Seabreeze, Imperial Park, Adderley Street, Marshall Road, Coral Harbour and Ferguson Subdivision.