The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears will today announce Bahamas Power and Light Company’s new board of directors, amid concerns it could be stifled due to an extension for the power provider’s previous board to remain in place.

A notice for a press conference to announce the board was issued yesterday. It said an announcement would be made at 2pm today at BPL’s head office on Baillou Hill Road.

Mr Sears confirmed on Friday that BPL’s board of directors appointed by the Minnis administration obtained a one-year extension to remain in place despite the completion of new board appointments.

The Tribune had reported on Thursday that a BPL source revealed an extension was granted by Governor General Sir Cornelius Smith preventing the new board appointed by the Davis administration from carrying out its duties.

Yesterday, Mr Sears did not respond to calls regarding the status of the extension.

Previously, former Minister of Works Desmond Bannister side stepped the issue, while board chairman Donovan Moxey and Pedro Rolle, appointed by the former Free National Movement government and now Davis administration respectively declined to address the subject.

They redirected this newspaper to Mr Sears saying he should address the matter.

Mr Sears confirmed the board remained in place, adding there is an appeal by the current government to have the Governor General revoke the extension so there is one Board that can get on with its work.

“The boards in this ministry extended their tenure by one year, by a letter signed by the Governor General,” Minister Sears said Friday. “So that’s the issue.

“We are trying now to get the Governor General to revoke those extensions so that the people that the Cabinet wants to appoint can be appointed and we don’t have two sets of people holding letters of appointment for the same period.”

The BPL source said the extension did not just apply to the board of directors, but the BPL executives as well.

The FNM appointed Board of Directors and BPL’s executive staff, in particular CEO Whitney Heastie, had a tumultuous relationship with the president and members of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union.

There have been demonstrations, walk outs and withdrawals of labour over the years in protest of alleged bad treatment of staff, disrespect of the union and staff and breach of industrial agreement by management.

In one case the union cited inhumane treatment when it was discovered that certain staff located on remote islands had to relieve themselves in the bush as there were no facilities for them to use.

BEWU President Kyle Wilson on Friday said he wishes the matter would be cleared up. He put his union’s full support behind the new board.

“In reference to today’s article in The Tribune, the union is aware that the government has appointed a new chairman and board and the BEWU is in full support of the incoming board and chairman and as far as we are concerned the old board is no longer in existence,” Mr Wilson said.

“There seems to be some confusion stopping the new board from practising and this confusion is unnecessary and is counterproductive and only frustrates and angers the membership. We welcome the new board and are ready to work with them.”

During the many BPL union protests, members always called for the FNM appointed Board and Executive Management to leave the Corporation. Nothing has changed, as the BEWU president is still calling for them to leave in this now awkward situation.

“As far as the old Board is concerned, the best recommendation we can give is to clean up your desk, pack up and go,” Mr Wilson said.

“We have suffered too long under this seemingly uncaring Board who were only focused on pandering to their Shell deal and putting workers last. We look forward with glee to the incoming new day.”