The Tribune

By Malcolm Strachan

AS the decade approaches its end, one would imagine many Bahamians’ Christmas wish was to have efficient and reliable power generation. With its importance to business operations and for families to have even the most modest comforts of life, saying it’s a necessity is no understatement. By this time, you would think BPL chairman Donovan Moxey – or any other official with the authority to speak publicly – would realise that making pronouncements that aren’t foolproof is a bad idea.

It’s almost to the point when government supporters cringe when Moxey and his cohorts give assurances, while less trusting citizens dismiss the chairman’s childlike optimism. The thought someone would continue to make promises on BPL’s ability to deliver is astounding in and of itself.

Nearly a year ago, Moxey told the media that, all things being equal, he didn’t foresee the power company having any challenges providing adequate summer distribution. Lo and behold, a few months later, daily blackouts led to a dark and unrelentingly hot summer.

As the situation escalated, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis eventually conceded we were at crisis level. The nation’s attention was diverted by Hurricane Dorian, but, as we return to normal, BPL has yet to cease reminding us that no matter how bad things seem, they can always get worse.

Marred by a legacy of ineptitude, mismanagement and corruption, the government’s decision to introduce the loathed $650m rate reduction bond has left the Bahamian people with a bitter taste in their mouths. What we feel now will pale in comparison with the moment we see the extra charge, or as many see it – the additional tax – on our power bills. The government’s inability to make it clear what the exact charge will be has been quite unnerving especially since the bill was already passed a month ago and officials continue to only provide scanty information.

While Public Works Minister Bannister lauded the move as the gateway to resolving BPL’s woes, his words brought little comfort to Bahamians who view the minister and his counterparts at the utility company as a band of used car salesmen.

How could people feel any different with the lack of transparency by the government? As one official contradicts another, we must question how much the government is trying to figure out in real time versus how much was properly planned out. The idea that this is what proper planning looks like is scary. However, equally terrifying is the general hunch that the government is shooting from its hip on a move that will not only further increase our already elevated cost of living today but may also potentially affect our future generations – our children and their children.

Either way, a decision - whether carefully considered or not - that results in the Bahamian people having to pay an additional $20-30, $27 or 15 percent of their light bills to BPL in exchange for poor service can hardly be justified.

It is totally unfair to arbitrarily tax the Bahamian people via a BPL charge because when it’s suitable “BPL belongs to the Bahamian people” while on the other hand ignoring citizens’ concerns and recommendations on how to fix the utility.

Perhaps most perplexing is people allowing political loyalties to colour their reactions to this fiasco. With FNM supporters supporting the government and PLP supporters denying their party played a role in the failed utility, both groups aren’t fully appreciating just what this will mean for Bahamians struggling to get by.

One thing for certain is BPL’s success or continued failures are tied to the government’s during the remainder of this term.

As we learned that resorts in Harbour Island were left in darkness over the Christmas holidays because of technical issues which ended up requiring some load shedding – which Dr Moxey just a little over a week ago affirmed would be a thing of the past with Station A coming online – we can hardly say we were surprised. Moxey, however, may have missed Christmas dinner altogether trying to dislodge his foot from his mouth.

Much like the government, BPL’s communication apparatus leaves much to be desired. If the brass cannot see by now that these pronouncements do the exact opposite of their intended purpose, then we’ve got even bigger problems than we thought relying on the blind to decipher between light and darkness.

Still undeterred, the government’s commitment to BPL has created a strange political dichotomy. BPL’s record and propensity for failure makes for a poor brand affiliation for any political party. Conversely, if the government is able to ensure BPL provides reliable and eventually affordable power, the Minnis administration would have accomplished an unprecedented feat – fixing BPL.

It is a responsibility shirked by previous Cabinets, but while it may not guarantee an FNM re-election, it will definitely bolster the government’s chances of being the first two-term government in 20 years.

BPL is that much of a deal-breaker for the Bahamian people.