The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light immediately closed its main Baillou Hill Road office yesterday after a small number of staff were suspected of being exposed to someone who had been in close contact with a COVID-19 patient.

BPL said once officials became aware of the potential exposure, those workers were sent home under strict instructions to follow medical protocols.

A professional company was then brought in to clean and fumigate the building overnight, the company said.

The building will reopen today for payments only under normal business hours.

A BPL statement read: “Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd wishes to assure customers that we are being vigilant during this crisis, and continue to take the health and safety of our employees and customers as our top priority. To that end, we would like to state unequivocally that at no point as far as we are aware has a person infected with the COVID19 virus accessed our premises.

“An incident occurred at the Peter I Bethel Building on Blue Hill Road on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 around 2pm. That incident resulted in the potential exposure of a small number of our staff members to someone who had been in close contact with an infected person. Once administration became aware of the potential exposure, we acted out of an abundance of caution to ensure the continued safety of staff and customers.

“The building was immediately closed. The staff potentially exposed were sent home under strict instructions to ensure they followed the recommended anti-infection protocols. We brought in a professional cleaning company to do a deep cleaning and fumigation of the building overnight.

“Therefore, we will reopen the P I Bethel Building at our Blue Hills complex for payment only on Wednesday during normal business hours.”

Customers wishing to conduct business with BPL not related to payments should call 225-5275 to speak to BPL’s customer service centre personnel.

The Mall at Marathon location is also open to only accept payments.

Anyone wishing to apply for the BPL COVID-19 Relief Programme can log onto www.bplco.com/covid19relief, see the fillable form on Facebook and Twitter, or send an email to covid19@bplco.com.

“We reiterate, as we have requested, please do not come in, and do not send a representative either. This process can and should be conducted entirely electronically,” BPL said.

BPL encouraged customers to observe the social distancing and shelter in place orders issued by the government.

“We urge our customers to pay their bills, and to do so electronically through the website www.bplco.com, through the private commercial banks online bill payment mechanisms or using the telephone number 302-1130 through 302-114.”