By Gerrino J. Saunders
Bahama Journal News Editor

The Official Opposition Free National Movement (FNM) is calling the
government’s energy reform plan and the Prime Minister’s
Parliamentary Communication this week regarding those plans a
“disappointment” for the Bahamian people, saying it is nothing more
than a “polished public relations piece”.
Opposition leader Michael Pintard said as much in a written statement
released on Wednesday following the Prime Minister’s comments.
Mr. Pintard said the report highlights that “electricity costs were
between 28 to 34 cents per kilowatt hour before the Progressive Liberal
Party (PLP) took office, but the Prime Minister conveniently omits that
under the FNM, a multiyear hedge facility brought the cost down to 23.5
cents, which was the third lowest in the Caribbean.”
He said that hedge fund collapsed under the PLP’s watch, “leading to
over $100 million in avoidable costs for Bahamian families and
businesses.”
“Worse still,” said Mr. Pintard, “The PLP report admits that costs will
rise in the medium term, yet the government refuses to say how much
this privatization and asset giveaway will actually add to the consumers’
bills.”
He contends, “what Bahamians deserve is honesty and transparency;
instead, the PLP continues to privatize hundreds of millions in BPL
assets behind closed doors, offering no real clarity or public oversight.”
He repeated calls by the opposition for the government to “table the
deals, show the numbers, and let Bahamians judge for themselves.”

In fact, Pintard called on the governing side to debate the developments
and changes taking place at BPL, especially following the 30 minute
communication by the Prime Minister and another communication by
the Minister of Energy and Transport Jobeth Coleby-Davis who
launched the public consultation initiative for the government’s national
energy policy.
Noting that the Opposition did not get an opportunity to “weigh in” on
the matter during House proceedings Pintard said, “we believe that it
deserves a debate, especially since we had asked multiple questions, that
we have not had answers to relative to BPL.”
The Opposition leader directly asked if the Prime Minister would advise
whether or not Members of Parliament would be able to have a debate
on the documents that were laid as they would greatly appreciate an
opportunity to have that discussion.
In direct response to Mr. Pintard through the Speaker of the House,
Prime Minster Davis said to the Opposition leader, “I think we have to
start from the premise of appreciating the West Minister Parliamentary
system.
“Very often the member for Marco City speaks on what he would like it
to be as opposed to what it is. The rules are the rules. He seeks a day to
debate BPL well I don’t propose to have a debate on BPL, I’m not
pointing fingers, I’m moving ahead. There was a problem, and we are
fixing the problem, its’ a billion-dollar problem that we have fixed, and
the Bahamian people are feeling what it is about,” said the Prime
Minister.
Mr. Pintard raised the issue of the government taking much of the time
that would be allotted for debate to speak on the energy reforms, but Mr.
Davis explained that the Rules of the House provide for Ministers to
give communications on matters that fall within their portfolio.
Mr. Davis advised Mr. Pintard that if he wanted to debate something and
was serious about it to give notice of a resolution, put it on the agenda for the Speaker to make a determination within the context of the
government’s agenda if and when it will be debated.
Mr. Pintard then noted that the rules of the House also indicate that the
second Wednesday of each month the Opposition has an opportunity to
raise questions tabled in advance for Ministers to answer but the
government has not followed those rules, so he finds it “rich” that the
Prime Minister would lecture on rules.
He added, “the rules also say that in government communications they
should be non-controversial and we heard any number of statements and
we respectfully listened to what was being said that was disrespectful
and so this is not about grandstanding it’s about a number of things
having been said that are very weighty issues.”
Mr. Pintard said the Prime Minister in a previous session gave the
impression that the government was open to debating the matter.