Several businesses are reporting a jump in purchases for residential generators.
Having been left in the dark one too many times over the summer and during hurricane seasons, Bahamians seem to not be taking any chances this time around.
Bahamas Welding and Fire Assistant Sales and Marketing Manager, Mavis Duncombe said sales have increased by 50 per cent compared to this same time last year.
According to Ms. Duncombe, the jump has a lot to do with the frequent power outages that typically plague the country around this time.
In addition, there is the 60 per cent increase in Value Added Tax that is set to take effect on July 1st.
However, Total Services Bahamas Office Manager, Peggy Kelly and Bobcat Bahamas Sales and Retail Coordinator, Hussein Duncombe said that it’s a bit too early to determine if there is an upswing or decline in generator sales, but both anticipate sales to pick up once the hurricane season becomes more active.
As for power outages, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister earlier this year promised that this would be the best year for Bahamas Power and Light in terms of power outages.
BPL Chairman Darnell Osborne recently gave a similar assurance regarding the power outages.
She said, “we have ongoing maintenance and other issues, as well as we are negotiating for our financing. So we are doing our best with the limited funs that we have to identify those key areas that we need upgrading, but we also know that it will not happen over night.
“We are making progress, but it will take some time and some money to get it to the point where we have no outages.”
Local meteorologists say this will be a near or above average hurricane season.
