FNM: Fire Miller now!

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) Deputy Chairman Dr Duane Sands said yesterday Prime Minister Perry Christie should fire Leslie Miller as executive chairman of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) immediately or face more public embarrassment.

Speaking with The Tribune, Dr Sands said he knows Mr Christie will not fire Mr Miller because the prime minister has shown in the past that he can not discipline his members.

“It is time for Mr Miller to do the honourable thing and spare BEC and the people of the Bahamas further embarrassment,” Dr Sands said. “He should resign and acknowledge that this is a big deal.

“The fact that he happens to be chairman of BEC and is thousands of dollars in arrears makes it difficult for the corporation to enforce its collection policies based on the perception that they choose who to afford leniency to and who they don’t,” he said.

“If BEC were to keep Leslie Miller on, then they should afford the same privilege to every single business and every single person, which clearly they don’t. I know my business and my home, if I forget to pay the bill, I get a call saying my services will be terminated. It is not fair. The prime minister ought to fire him but I do not believe he will fire him just like he didn’t deal with any of the issues in his previous administration.”

Dr Sands said he believes in second chances but Mr Miller has been given “third, fourth and fifth chances.”

“His second chance would have been the comment he made in the House of Assembly about woman beating,” he said, referring to comments Mr Miller made in the House of Assembly earlier this year about domestic violence. Mr Miller later said he was making a joke and was not serious.

“How about when he allegedly licked off a shot at an intruder? How many opportunities does this man get? How does he get to violate rules without consequence? I think the prime minister has to say ‘this is enough,’ thank him for his efforts and find someone better suited to run BEC.”

Dr Sand’s comments come after it was revealed that Mr Miller and one of his family owned businesses owed BEC more than $200,000.

Since the revelation was made public last week, a $100,000 cash payment was made on the arrears for his family’s Harrold Road bowling alley, Mario’s Entertainment Palace.

In a previous interview, Mr Miller said he will not resign in light of the controversy because he is not done doing the “business of the people” at BEC.

Comments

John says...

SIX THOUSAND BAHAMIAN families living without electricity, 30,000 Bahamians unemployed, 40,000 Bahamians living in dire poverty, country $6 billion in debt, VAT coming to make more hardship for Bahamians.. is there any need for government anymore? Time to go back to the island and live off the land.

Posted 24 June 2014, 1:08 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Smart person........... and allow Bahamians to use solar etc without penalty

Posted 24 June 2014, 1:49 p.m. Suggest removal

Cobalt says...

Wow! John is actually making sense today!

Posted 24 June 2014, 3:41 p.m. Suggest removal

youngsir says...

**Dr Sands** try win a **seat** before you try govern someone. BEC workers scared of changes thats why they are indeed out to get Mr. Miller.

Posted 24 June 2014, 2:06 p.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

Dr.Sands does not have any say in the FNM party. but he wants to tell Mr. Christie what to do. He should try his best to tell Butler Turner and Dr. Minnis what to do. Because they all seem to be lost in a wilderness of confusion.

Posted 24 June 2014, 2:19 p.m. Suggest removal

haitianboy says...

Why fire the man who has the testicular fortified to clean the mess at that so call power plant. B.E.C is responsible for many hardships people face in this country with their bloated service charges and inconsistent power supply.

So he owes? Who doesn't? Heck I owe. Many businesses who depend heavily on eletricity to power machinery are barely making ends meet. All of that high energy cost is past onto the consumer which creates a domino effect in their spending habits.

The government wants to implement a new tax. For what? Collect outstanding taxes, start with the elite of the country who gets a free pass because of their family surname and political connections.

Posted 24 June 2014, 3:34 p.m. Suggest removal

Cobalt says...

A Haitian questioning our political elite??? Your comments are as unwelcome as your presence!

Posted 24 June 2014, 3:46 p.m. Suggest removal

henny says...

Cobalt....So what if a Haitian is commenting half the people in Nassau are of Haitian descent. Further more he is telling the truth.

Posted 24 June 2014, 5 p.m. Suggest removal

Cobalt says...

Half??? I don't know what census catalog or demographical manuscript you're reading; but either way your statistics are grossly incorrect. Furthermore, you need mind your own business. This is between me and Haitian Boy.

Posted 24 June 2014, 5:13 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

I have supported Leslie Miller in his cleanup of BEC, I don't like the foolishness the unions fight for and allow to continue. **but** some of the statements Leslie Miler has made over the past two weeks as a former parliamentarian and board chairman are eye popping. It is clear he thinks the rules don't apply to him, he is "above" the average Bahamian, he is elite, that is how they all present themselves, especially Lady P. these are the type of people you do not want in leadership, it opens the door to all types of abuses, and *don't you dare question any action they take, cause who are you to question them*

Truly can't believe he allowed his daughter to have an illegal electricity hookup. That's just unfathomable...and then defend it by saying people are out to get you?

Posted 25 June 2014, 2:56 a.m. Suggest removal

URD says...

He should be fired!

Posted 24 June 2014, 4:21 p.m. Suggest removal

haitianboy says...

Cobalt.

I have long concluded that you are a fool full of venom that will one day poison you. You are a man consume with hatred for a people who are simply seeking a better way of life. God is very sensitive to the plight of the poor, so you need to tread carefully; I strongly advise you to examine your current position. All blacks are African descendants and all of mankind are descendants of Adam and Eve, so essentially your discriminating against your own flesh and blood.

Furthermore what galls you is the fact that Haitian descendants such as myself are now part of the Bahamian culture and have been for decades. Did you know that Stephen Dillet was a Haitian? Most of the Bahamas is filled with multicultural people, where do you think all those different shades of brown came from? Please stop your ignorance; it's just making you appear even more obtuse and nit witted.

Posted 24 June 2014, 6:45 p.m. Suggest removal

Cobalt says...

This is my question..... how is it that you claim to have the solutions to my country's problems, yet you don't seem to possess any solutions for yours??? Why don't you go home and teach your Haitian countrymen how to better themselves and their country instead of burdening ours??? Furthermore, this is not a platform for civic or humanitarian speech. This isn't a religious forum nor is it a case-study on African history. This is simply a matter of devoted and determined Bahamians preserving our country for our children! You Haitians have already soiled your country and now you're attempting to do the same to ours! Do you know how many mangy Haitians my brother and I have to treat everyday?!?!? You come to our country riddled with tuberculosis, herpes, cholera, herpes-simplex 1, cryptosporidium, hepatitis, and a host of other life threatening diseases that my fellow countrymen know little about! You exploit our oath to confidentiality and professionalism, then attempt to make us seem un-humanitarian when we address the problematic and debilitating problems that your kind brings to our country!! You expect us to remain silent and accepting towards you while you break our laws and infect our population.... not to mention, exhausting most of our medical resources that were intended for tax-paying Bahamian citizens! And the worst part of it all is that my fellow Bahamians are the ones that have to fit the bill!! And then you've got the nerve to call me poison??? YOU are the poison!! YOU AND YOUR KIND!!! If the the average Bahamian knew the truth about the Haitian occupation in this country, there would be a massive extermination of the Haitian populace!! You AND your diseased children!!! We don't care about your post, nor do we care about your dialogue!! We just want y'all gone!!! And how dare you talk to me about God?!?! If I didn't believe in God I would have put strychnine or succinylcholine in those syringes that I treat Haitians with instead of therapeutic medicine!! Don't get me started Haitian!!! As a matter of fact.... if y'all Haitians knew what's good for you, you'd get back on your sloops and go home!! Trust me!

To any Bahamians whom Ive offended with this post, I sincerely apologize. But this Haitian's been getting on my nerves for days now.

Posted 24 June 2014, 9:36 p.m. Suggest removal

haitianboy says...

Are you telling the world that your a doctor!!!!???? MY GOD, MY GOD!!!

No wonder so many Haitians fear going to the hospital, they always told me that if they go, they may never come back. At first I thought they were being superstitious, but now I am suspicious. For a crazy man such as yourself to be treating people makes me shudder.

The feces you type is not from a person with a medical degree or from a highly respected profession, but from a demented, delusional, mentally disturbed, egotistical maniac, with an obsesses phobia for Haitian nationals.

It's obvious that your attitude towards them is abnormal and psychotic. You same to be suffering from a case of schizophrenia; I recommend that you see a psychiatrist ASAP before you harm yourself (suicide) or someone else.

Posted 25 June 2014, 4:40 p.m. Suggest removal

thomas says...

I have been procrastinating but I think its time to call immigration for these Haitians next door. I have done my part.

Posted 24 June 2014, 8:35 p.m. Suggest removal

lucaya says...

For God sakes please Cobalt,will you run for Prime Minister?One vote here...

Posted 25 June 2014, 1:16 a.m. Suggest removal

haitianboy says...

Cobalt

Are you telling the world that your a doctor!!!!???? MY GOD, MY GOD!!!

No wonder so many Haitians fear going to the hospital, they always told me that if they go, they may never come back. At first I thought they were being superstitious, but now I am suspicious. For a crazy man such as yourself to be treating people makes me shudder.

The feces you type is not from a person with a medical degree or from a highly respected profession, but from a demented, delusional, mentally disturbed, egotistical maniac, with an obsesses phobia for Haitian nationals.

It's obvious that your attitude towards them is abnormal and psychotic. You same to be suffering from a case of schizophrenia; I recommend that you see a psychiatrist ASAP before you harm yourself (suicide) or someone else.

Posted 25 June 2014, 4:32 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

These Haitians are really out of hand in our country!!!!!!!! Is there a new Chinese dish that we can put them on the menu??????????

Posted 26 June 2014, 12:38 p.m. Suggest removal

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