By Gerrino J. Saunders
Journal Staff Writer
Residents of mainland Eleuthera and surrounding islands like Harbour Island
and Spanish Wells have been vocal and action-oriented in recent times
bemoaning the lack of reliable infrastructure like electricity, potable water and
internet services.
The government has heard their cries and announced several plans to address
the issues and according to Prime Minister Philip Davis they are seeking long
term solutions and not band aid fixes.
He said, “As Eleuthera continues to grow, we recognize that rapid
development comes with its own set of challenges. The increase in economic
activity and the rise in population have strained our utility services,
particularly electricity and water. These growing pains are not unique to
Eleuthera, but they are challenges that we are fully committed to addressing.”
The Prime Minister was speaking while on the island of Eleuthera on Monday
for the signing of a $55 million loan agreement with the Saudi Fund for
Development to expedite required upgrades to the North Eleuthera
International Airport.
He said, “In recent months, we’ve heard the outcry about the power and water
situation. Your cries have not fallen on deaf ears. No Bahamian should have to
live without reliable water and electricity – not in 2024.”
The prime minister added, “this problem has been going on for far too many
years and too many administrations have put in place stopgap measures
without fixing the problem at its core. Just like a festering wound can’t be
cured by simply placing a bandage on it, Eleuthera’s power and water issues
cannot be solved with short-term, band-aid solutions.”
“The government is taking aggressive steps to improve service delivery across
Eleuthera and Harbour Island,” he said.

Mr. Davis explained that last month, on August 13th, Bahamas Power and
Light (BPL) began the “ambitious task” of commissioning two long-overdue
generators, each capable of producing 2.5 megawatts. He said one of the
generators is already operational and the other is expected to be up and
running by the end of this week. 
Continuing, the prime minister said, “These upgrades will almost double
Harbour Island’s power generation capacity, drastically reducing the
likelihood of load shedding. Our goal is to ensure that by the end of
September, there will be no more power shortages across Eleuthera.
“BPL is working tirelessly with teams from Long Island, Eleuthera, and New
Providence, and we are making sure that no power station in Eleuthera will
lack sufficient generation capacity,” he said.
As for concerns with poor water supply largely due to Eleuthera’s rapid growth
post-COVID putting additional pressure on an ageing infrastructure, the
Prime Minister said to address this, the Water and Sewerage Corporation has
over $7 million in capital works already in progress, with more projects in the
pipeline including major investments in new water storage facilities, pipeline
upgrades, and infrastructure repairs.
“We’ve already seen improvements at key locations like Spanish Wells and
Tarpum Bay, and we are adding new storage capacity at Harbour Island,
Bogue, and the Naval Base,” he said.
“This problem has existed for a long time. But it is now up to this
administration to solve it. This is about providing a real solution to the
problem. We’re not concerned with political gimmicks – like those who seek to
gain political points from your pain by giving out water bottles but they didn’t
see fit to take action to fix this problem when they were in power,” said Prime
Minister Davis.
He said, “Short-term political gestures don’t fix long-term problems.
Eleuthera needed real action years ago. Instead, the problems were left to
grow. This government isn’t interested in quick fixes or political stunts. We
are committed to providing long-term solutions.
“The work we are doing with BPL and the Water and Sewerage Corporation is
part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure reliable access to both electricity
and clean water for every resident of Eleuthera. Our focus is on making sure

that these services are stable and sustainable, not just for today, but for the
future.
“We must put the people of Eleuthera first, ensuring that the foundation is
being laid for continued growth and progress for generations to come. As
Eleuthera continues to grow, we are entering a new era—one where we are not
just reacting to the challenges of development, but actively shaping the
future,” said the Prime Minister.
According to the Prime Minister with the progress already made and secured
investments it will set the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth on the
island of Eleuthera.
He said, “The challenges we’ve faced with electricity, water, and infrastructure
are real, but so are the solutions we are putting in place. This government is
not just here to manage crises; we are here to build an Eleuthera that thrives
for the long term.
“Our commitment to sustainable development is reflected in every action we
take—from the airport upgrades to the improvements in utilities and the
broader infrastructural developments across this island.
“The vision is simple: to move beyond these growing pains and ensure that
Eleuthera has what it needs to support its people and its economy for years to
come. This means making sure that your water runs, your lights stay on, and
that Eleuthera remains an attractive place to live, work, and visit. We must
move quickly to fix today’s problems and focus on preparing Eleuthera for the
future,” said Mr. Davis.
He admitted that the road ahead still presents challenges but that this
administration is committed to ensuring that Eleuthera moves forward,
stronger than ever, towards a future of sustainable development.