THE EXECUTIVE director and two other top executives at Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd have "stepped down", according to an internal memo obtained by The Tribune yesterday.
BPL's Chief Executive Officer Whitney Heastie confirmed the departure of Deepak Bhatnagar, executive director; Cecile Green, Chief Financial Officer; and Marisa Mason Smith, Human Resources director, with immediate effect in Friday's memo, dated December 1.
Ms Green served in the post for nine years, and will be replaced by Acting CFO Chandrice Ferguson. Ms Mason Smith had been with the company for more than 15 years, according to the memo.
BPL’s chairperson Darnell Osborne declined comment when contacted on Friday.
Comments
John 6 years, 11 months ago
They letting foreigners come in n and take the country over. And y’all buying into the story that Bahamians ain’t competent
ohdrap4 6 years, 11 months ago
you posted this comment to wrong story, me thinks.
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 11 months ago
If indeed these persons spoke out about irregularities under the last administration ur weren't listened to, the only thing for them to have done at that time was resign. It's a hard decision especially if you have children and other obligations. They stuck it out and have now been forced to resign, the public rightly or wrongly will assume they either didn't perform their oversight jobs or they were complicit. Not good.
John 6 years, 11 months ago
No I didn’t you thinks wrong
John 6 years, 11 months ago
Bahamians, we must take back control of our country and our resources from aragonite to salt to water to power generation. People who we take for friends and well advisors have the intention of seeing Bahamians live in misery, and in sickness and in poverty, while the rape our land of all its resources. Call it modern day slavery. Just look what is happening: poor people are dying with so much medical bills they are leaving their children in debt for decades. And persons who have worked all their lives to accumulate a little something is now watching it be frittered away with unusual taxes and the high cost of living. They too, cannot leave their will to their children debt free. The children will have to sell off most of what is passed down to them, again to pay off debts or just walk away from it. To a life of poverty. This is by design. That is why the young men are angry. They want to work, they want to be peaceful and productive citizens. But the country is being flooded with drugs and alcohol and guns. They get them angry and turn them against each other. They are making it near impossible for young men to survive in this country. They pay maids in Freeport $3.00 to clean rooms that rent out for hundreds of dollars a night...whose country is this anyway. The riches of the wicked is being stores up fior the righteous.
jamaicaproud 6 years, 11 months ago
I think you all should concentrate on getting reliable and cost-effective power from any source, and not be paranoid about this whole immigrant drama. If your countrymen with money will not invest, then you must know its foreigners who will invest. However, they won't when there is open hostility. So there you go, stay in your misery. While you are at it, please take back your tourism too, visit your own country.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 11 months ago
Not everyone with a "non-English" name is a foreigner ........ Some of these people have roots that go back generations ....... Now for those first generation immigrants with two first or last names, that is a different matter ........ and those hologram baby daddies on birth certificates.
bogart 6 years, 11 months ago
A step in the right direction. CIBC employee charged, BPL worker charged, finally top people Board of Director now stepping down. Not quite the same but its a start and the govt must be commended for this stunning epiphamy and achievment.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 11 months ago
But .......... will any of those senior PLPs who were charged be found guilty of the alleged bribery and corruption cases involving our tax-payers money????
That is the real, true, test of breaking the bribery/kickbacks culture in our government system.
realfreethinker 6 years, 11 months ago
That's up to the court
Bahamianbychoice 6 years, 11 months ago
It appears this board and leadership team are determined to move the company in the right direction which is refreshing as I am sure it is quite a task! Given the recommendations/observations from the forensic audit which was published in the paper..a stong theme suggested the accounting department as well other areas needed to be reviewed..combined with the theft ...I dont think the leadership team had any other choice...it must be demonstrated that they are working in the best interest of the Bahamian people..regain consumer confidence. This to me demonstrates the leadership is prepared to make the tough decisions....though never easy when it concerns persons losing their jobs.
TheMadHatter 6 years, 11 months ago
Very interesting. Would need to know more of the internal politics there to speak to this. Hopefully it is for the best. There is no doubt our power bills are too high. Something needs to be done to remedy this. Don't know if this will help or hurt in that regard. Let us hope it is the right thing, of course, for all Bahamians who are currently suffering very very very very terribly due to high electricity costs which effects the cost of grocery etc etc etc.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 11 months ago
We are Top 10 in the world in Cost of Living ........ why would anyone want to invest here??????? .......... Hotels struggle to make profits here as compared to Florida or the DR ........... Freeport is struggling and the wider society is deteriorating under the tax regime, systemic corruption, mounting debt, brain-drain, poor skills training, crime and social dysfunction.
John 6 years, 11 months ago
With the amount of exploitation going on in this country, NO BAHAMIAN should be paying property tax on any home dwelling on which he/she resides. NONE! Think about it: When you purchase the property you pay government tax on the purchase of the property. When you build government gets average of 35% customs duties on all the materials you put into your home, PLUS 7.5% VAT TAX!> Then they get 7.5% VAT on all the labor that goes into constructing the home So why should a BAHAMIAN still have to pay tax on his home? And go and see who they gat running the Department of Inland revenue..Like Bob Marley says, "WE GATTA CHASE DEM CRAZY BALD HEADS OUTTA DA LAND!"
jamaicaproud 6 years, 11 months ago
I can't think of anyplace where people don't pay tax on property. Well, of course, unless it's a shanty town, and those are not desirable.
licks2 6 years, 11 months ago
JP if you follow my countrymen around in their stupid and poor reasoning skills you will be writting all day. . .and yet, no matter what sound reasoning skills you use, they will still not agree with you. . .talking dumb crap is our national pass-time. . .like that dumb statement above. . .NO REAL PROPERTY TAX. . .OR THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT "DEAL" WITH BAHAMAR. . .JUST TAKE THE HOTEL BACK!! I take it that you are not Bahamian. . .and you see how foolish in their reasoning my people. . .for the most part can be. . .LIKE THEY NEVER SAW THE INSIDE OF A CLASSROOM IN THEIR LIFE!!
TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! I take it there will be no more talk Minnis and his open and transparent governing? Highly unlikely there was no shoving and the individuals who just decided walk away days before Christmas from prestigious well paying executive positions? Will their leaving BPL, be followed with financial bonuses, early termination payouts? Curious what their future job reference letters will read like on the letterhead BPL?
ohdrap4 6 years, 11 months ago
just like the term 'paper bahamian' is derogatory, there are people who have 'paper degrees'.
Dr. this or that, despite the degrees, do not appear to be intelligent in conversation, in company management and policy or knowledgeable in their area of qualification.
what they really good at, is to appeal to authority when making decisions, a logical fallacy. the lowly staff tell them the policies are wrong but, "the chairman said so", "the president said to do it'.
If these folks are bahamian, they climb the corporate ladder. after years of saying yess mass, they do not want to resign!!! They stay until they get a golden parachute.
Those brave enough to say that this and that is wrong will be frustrated, demoted, held back until they quit.
The foreigners at BPL are gone, the thievery and incompetence happened under bahamians. now these bloggers cry for their incompetente brothers and sisters.
they have to be removed if change is to happen.
BahamasForBahamians 6 years, 11 months ago
While her exit is misleading and marred with false celebration, it is a refreshing day in The Bahamas to know that Cecile Greene is no longer guarding the piggy bank at BPL.
Once Peter Rutherford is axed the company should finally be able to breathe.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 11 months ago
Minnis and his fellow cabinet members would be wise to ensure Deepak Bhatnagar is removed from all government-related posts. I could say much more, but most who know him know exactly why I hold this view.
bogart 6 years, 11 months ago
Why stop there. There are many who are appointed to sit on Boards or in positions through one govt on agencies that have major financial issues. Yet new govts continues to have them continue. You cant be doing the same things over and over and expect different results to show the people, especially after you done tell the people its the peoples time.
christee 6 years, 11 months ago
The resignation of the HR Director now paves the way for the CEO to bring in his sweetie from Grand Bahama.
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