The spike in Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) electricity prices has left quite a number of Bahamians in a bind, and the President of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union yesterday urged the government and the company to take action.
The electricity company has gone on record saying that this 22 per cent increase is due to hefty oil prices leading to an increase in the fuel surcharge.
Union President Paul C. Maynard suggested what he would do about the situation if he were in Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis’ shoes.
He said, “If I were prime minister, I would talk to Shell and I would indicate that I’m in crisis mode. I need you to help me out short term.
“Shell is the largest distributor of LNG (Liquid Nitrogen Gas) and propane in the world. Leave it to them, they’ll deal with it,” he added.
BPL is currently in negotiations with Shell North America to provide power generation for the capital.
This means that the company will eventually buy generation from the North American firm as soon as the year 2020.
Mr. Maynard also suggested that the public pressure their respective MPs to curb the climbing cost of power.
He said, “Electricity is the life blood of this country. Forget phones, because electricity drives everything. If you don’t have electricity, you’re shutting down practically.
“We need to have a cheap and reliable supply of electricity. Excuses time is over with. We need to get with it and get busy and get the work done.
“You cannot have mothers deciding whether they are going to feed their children or pay their light bill. That’s wrong! You cannot have our small businesses closing down. Without small businesses, the country is nothing ,because these businesses keep employment going. If they have to close down as a result of the power problem, we are going to have a problem,” said the Union leader.
In the meantime, the union president gives Bahamians tips on how to save on electricity.
These included switching incandescent lights to more energy efficient lights, switching old television sets to flat screens, and opting for gas water heaters and stoves as opposed to electrical ones.
Mr. Maynard was the guest speaker yesterday for the Rotary Club of Southeast Nassau.
