The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) president Kyle Wilson said the Davis administration’s announcement of plans to reform Bahamas Power and Light has not alleviated employees’ concerns about their future with the company.

The Davis administration unveiled its reform plans yesterday, which include modernising the electricity grid, building utility-scale solar power in the Family Islands, transforming energy generation through LNG implementation in New Providence and introducing equity rate adjustments.

Officials said the plan would increase storm resilience, lower the cost of living and improve economic competitiveness while creating more employment and investment opportunities with a 21st-century infrastructure. 

Mr Wilson said yesterday was not the first time he has heard about many of these promises, although he now knows the companies BPL plans to partner with.

He said: “I understand the government’s move to a new energy era. I understand the globalisation issues and talking about climate change and all of that, and having to make the necessary changes here in the energy sector. But my concern, as the union’s president, is what is the future for the workers that are under my purview? What and how is it going to affect them? I’m hearing of training from the minister and changes that are happening, but nothing direct.”

Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis has repeatedly said there would be no staff layoffs and told employees yesterday that all concerns would be addressed. 

However, Mr Wilson said the union last met government officials several months ago.

He said there may be no layoffs now, but the future is uncertain.

He said: “We have a current industrial agreement that ends in 2026. But what happens after that?”

“The membership has tons of questions and they’re putting it all on my back, and they’re looking for me to deliver, and I’m asking them before we get to a point of contention, before I have to run up down the street and embarrass my country and embarrass my government, just to get simple questions answered. I’m saying sit with me, sit with us who are the major stakeholders.”

Mr Wilson believes the government is only communicating with the Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union (BEMU). The leader of that union, Christopher Hanna, could not be reached for comment before press time.

“What I understand is the senior union leadership, under Mr Chris Hanna would have probably been meeting with the government,” Mr Wilson said. “We’re supposed to be holding hands, but I understand that they would have gone on and have meetings. So I would say you probably want to speak with the senior union to find out why they would have been meeting with them in the absence of me, who carry the strong majority in BPL.

“So that behoves me, and they’ve even been in House of Assembly probably purporting to be in agreement, and so when we’d have had a position together, it sort of strikes me that they would be working with one union and not the next.”