The Tribune

Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) has created a COVID-19 Relief Programme for customers who are diagnosed with COVID-19, customers who are in COVID-19-related quarantine, and customers who have been laid off because of COVID-19.

In a statement, BPL said it has elected to defer payment for these customers for three months, beginning April 1.

For each of the three tiers of affected customers, the account must be in the applicant’s name, and the account number and the National Insurance number must be provided along with either proof of diagnosis, proof of mandated quarantine or proof of layoff. 

BPL Director of Customer Service Peter Rutherford explained that BPL has created a fillable form that customers can use to apply for the programme. That form has fields for all the required information in addition to places to upload requisite documents. The form is available on BPL’s Facebook page (@mybpl242), Twitter (@mybplbahamas), the BPL WhatsApp Community groups and the BPL website (www.bplco.com). 

For complete qualification and registration information, or for other questions regarding the COVID-19 Relief Programme, customers are asked to email COVID19@BPLCO.com. 

Mr Rutherford said, “In accordance with the social distancing mandate and the emergency orders enacted to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we ask that customers seeking to register for this relief not send in a representative. Documents will not be accepted in the office.”

Once again, for those who qualify, payment of customer bills will be deferred until July 1, 2020.

BPL CEO Whitney Heastie also addressed the relief programme.

“As Bahamians continue to cope with the unprecedented challenges of this virus, we at BPL are committed to assisting our customers as best we can through the difficulties ahead. We have created this relief programme in line with the government’s desire and our wish to ensure that customers are able to meet their obligations without sacrificing their own security and sense of safety,” he said.