By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

TWO BEC women workers were held hostage and threatened with death by a group of men when they attempted to disconnect service at a Pinewood Gardens home.

Worker intimidation is on the rise, according to BEC chairman Leslie Miller yesterday, adding the corporation’s 32 reconnectors are threatened with bodily harm by delinquent customers on a weekly basis, despite the corporation’s flexible payment options.

He said the women were rescued by their co-workers, who heard them pleading with a group of five men over the corporation’s radio system, on Tuesday.

Mr Miller blasted the culprits as “cowards” after one of the men – a resident of the home – picked up a large rock and threatened to beat the women, while another man threatened to shoot and kill them if the workers attempted to disconnect his service.

He added that the residence is now disconnected from the light pole, and the corporation has also removed its meter box.

Mr Miller said: “We are having some very serious incidents of staff being harassed, threatened, and in some cases held hostage by some consumers in New Providence. These incidents have been happening very frequently in the last few weeks, I guess as things get tough economically people take more drastic actions. These actions will not be tolerated by BEC.

“One guy,” Mr Miller said, “put a gun to the chest of one of our workers last year, another one was almost stabbed to death – someone went after him with a knife. We will not tolerate that. Pay your bill and then the fellas ain’t coming to turn your light off.”

He added: “What happen when BTC turn you off with their lousy service, don’t you pay the bill? When Cable Bahamas turn you off, who can you call? So why do you think that BEC doesn’t have any obligations? We have bills to pay, help us so you can help yourself. Nobody is trying to take advantage of you, if you intimidate our staff you will be in the dark for a very, very, very long time.”

The men will face criminal charges, according to Mr Miller, who warned customers that any interference with disconnection efforts will result in an immediate and indefinite termination of service.

At a press conference yesterday, Mr Miller said he has received an apology from the home owner, and mother of one of the men. However, he said that the home will remain disconnected until the criminal matter is resolved by the court.

Mr Miller said: “One gentleman picked up a big rock and told (worker) that he will smash her face in if she were to disconnect his light. The incident was that the lady (reconnector) had disconnected the light on Monday, (residents) said they had paid so when she went back and when she called into headquarters it turned out that no payment had been made. 

“So she went back to disconnect the light. Five men in the neighbourhood then went to the gate and stopped them from leaving the gate. One fellow said he would go home and get his 9mm and kill all two of them if they come in his yard and turn off his light.”

Mr Miller added: “BEC then terminated the services of that customer, we cut them off from the pole, as well as we took out our meter. They will be off for an indefinite period of time.”

Mr Miller said that more than 4,000 residences in New Providence were still disconnected due to arrears.

Mr Miller said: “BEC bends over backwards to work with people, the majority of people that have called me have been on 10 different plans, and really haven’t held up any of the tenants of the plan, but we still work with you. Before, the policy was you had to pay all the bill, then it was 50 per cent of the bill, now its down to 20 per cent of the bill.

“People get angry, we can appreciate it nobody wants their light off and things are tough. We appreciate that but realize too that the average home owner in New Providence owes BEC in excess of $5,000.”