The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power & Light’s (BPL) chief executive yesterday said its Christmas reconnection offer had not produced the expected customer response, saying: “We’re not sure exactly why that was.”

Whitney Heastie told Tribune Business: “We did not get the volumes that we would have anticipated. I can’t recall the numbers, but it certainly was not earth-shattering. We’re not sure exactly what that means; whether or not people were still not in a position to come up with the 25 percent or they simply saw the agreement as another burden. We’re not sure exactly why that was.”

BPL’s Christmas reconnection offer allowed customers whose electricity supply had been disconnected to have their power restored in time for the holidays if they paid 25 percent of their past due balance. Customers with more than 60 days in arrears were also given the opportunity to pay 25 percent of past due balances prior to December 21 to avoid disconnection before Christmas.

BPL chairman, Dr Donovan Moxey, said at the time that 15,000 BPL customers will be able to benefit from the utility’s offer. He added that about 4,000 or 5,000 people were disconnected, and 7,000 to 8,000 or more were in arrears.