By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE government says more than 50 per cent of households participating in the government’s BEC assistance programme are middle to upper income families and that can afford to pay but refuse to.

According to BEC chairman Leslie Miller, since the former administration launched the programme in February of last year, more than 5,000 people have been given assistance.

However, he says of that number, more than half are wealthy Bahamians taking advantage of a programme designed for the poor.

The programme requires customers to pay their current bill and then pay off the balance of their debt over three years.

Because of the abuse of the programme, Mr Miller said the board has now agreed to restructure it in an effort to save the corporation money.

“Many Bahamians took advantage of that in a negative way that affected BEC.

“Example: persons in the upper income bracket latch on to that provision that the government offered and decided ‘If I have a $3,000 bill I will pay that bill over a three year period.’ Now it was really intended for the less fortunate among us, those who couldn’t afford it, those mothers who are out there struggling with their children who couldn’t afford the added cost of electricity. It was meant for them.

“However, because it was straight across the board all Bahamians took advantage of it, to the detriment of BEC,” he said.

“The board is now looking at a restructuring of that situation, meaning those who can afford to pay will be placed on a more restricted time basis. Certainly someone on the high economic bracket should not get 36 months to pay say a $10,000 bill.

“So what we are going to do is restructure it so that those less fortunate can go on the plan and even that can be reconfigured to a 24 months period. Those who can afford it can probably go on a 12 to 18 month time frame to enable them to pay their bills at BEC.”

Mr Miller said the programme caused a serious cash flow problem for the corporation. However, he said this is not the only area in where they are losing money.

The chairman gave an example of 10 men who were contracted by BEC to connect and disconnect power to homes. He said these unskilled worked were making up to $2,700 a month for a job that required no experience.

“I was told that they were making $10 every time they disconnect, $5 when they reconnect and $10 when they pick up a check. Last week, I decided to add up those figures in the House and the results shocked my colleges.

“I got the shock of my life, some of those workers were averaging $2,200 a week, one guy was making as much as $2,700 and all they needed was a car and one week training. That exercise alone caused BEC $700,000 a year – for 10 unskilled workers,” he said.

Mr Miller said the board met and decided to put the men on a set salary. If they disconnect or reconnect 40 homes in five days, they get $400 a week and so on. He said the board also decided to hire an additional 22 unemployed Bahamians. Since then, Mr Miller said, the corporation has already saved more than $255,000.

According to Mr Miller, the corporation is also owed more than $40 million by private companies.

He said if all the goes according to plan, in terms of cutbacks on salaries and better collection policies, the public can expect to see a decrease in their light bills by the end of summer.