No partnership with the Private Sector?

Why borrow money when you can get someone to invest it?

I have no issue with paying taxes if that is what is needed to get BEC to finally become a profitable entity, debt-free entity but taxes without transparency is tyranny reigned down on the people. If BEC will put this tax as a line item on bills and not lump it in with all the other charges and fees so that it can be tracked and aggregated then it would be more palatable. We are all struggling to pay our bills but we need a modernized BEC in order to see lower electricity costs and higher reliability over the medium to long-term and clearing the debt may help. If there is a plan for fixing BEC (via diverse energy sources and outsourcing energy production to young, talented Bahamians) that they are willing to publish and be held accountable to via timely annual reports and audits, then impose the fee. Otherwise, stop imposing hardship on the Bahamian people and cut back on all of the perks and benefits that the executives enjoy, the absurd overtime that is rumored to still be taking place albeit less blatantly, and the unfavorable vender contracts that provide little value to operation but are a windfall for foreign and local contractors alike.

Sharon, you mussy be sipping the wine early to suggest additional taxes and please don't ever associate the word accountable with either BEC or the tubby Minister in charge who has himself declared them insoluble.
BEC and their employees have been gouging the Bahamian public for generations without the benefit of us receiving reliable affordable generation in return.
We have been taxed for their fuel and ridiculous pensions for years so the very thought of paying additional taxes to dig them out of the 600 million dollar hole they have dug for themselves is repugnant to say the least.

POOR MANAGEMENT and no forward planning results in astronomical expenses. BEC should be on an equipment replacement cycle where it's engines are upgraded/replaced on a cyclical basis and everything does not become old all at once. The new thing in power generation is extended solar power using sea salt. Large tanks are filled with salt and water and the tanks are heated using solar panels. As the salt heats up it produces electricity and continues producing electricity for several hours w/o sunlight. The value of salt just doubled. A similar plant uses solar energy to heat up oil to 400 degrees, rather than burning it. The heated oil puts off energy that again is converted to electricity.

The only saving grace in this whole ordeal is the fact our corrupt, inept, government will no longer be in management of BEC. The whole Bahamas should be grateful for this minor miracle. There might be a chance BEC can actually be a benefit to The Bahamas without sleezy politicians interfering in its day to day operations.

Also Mr DPM, not all Bahamians are so dumb that they can not see you are loading another tax on us, we also expect you to charge VAT on that tax because we know you politicians are the greedyest creatures on this earth.

BEC (now BPL) will continue to be a liability unless it removes the Shell/FOCOL fuel monopoly from around its neck ............... but will Brave throw Snake under the bus???????

Why do we cling to the idea that the government should continue to own these corporations?

When will we recognize that if we encourage legitimate (none of the Renew Bahamas types) to invest and run these corporations that we as a nation would be better off.

No country wastes money on a national airline like we do.

In the US, Canada and Europe all have private companies running their electricity production, transmission and distribution, why can't we?

Hey Economist, don't be fooled by what you think you see in USA, Canada and Europe, their electrical and other "now private " utilities have only become more and more expensive since going private.

Once private, these bills we've been have will seem cheap!

Ontario Canada has what they call a "debt retirement fee" added to their electricity bills, that fee; to reduce the "debt" is higher than the KWH rate, and their debt has never come down.

We're just following the "WTO" agreement and rules here, having to open our doors, and soon to sell everything government off to the "private sector".

Notice with government you can at least have the "hope" (false usually) that they will operate with the prime goal of serving the people. World wide, the private sector serves only the shareholders, and in some jurisdictions it's required by law that those in charge do everything they can to earn the biggest return for shareholders.

But as long a one has organized a trough to feed at, you're ok, but if you work for a pay check, it's a race to the bottom.........

I swear Canada has "Hydro-Electric" which is Gov't run...... Still, ya some weird charges on those bills, often "delivery" is more than your actual usage... and yeah, wierd 'debt reduction' and 'retirement' random charges too.......

not sure about the states

Fair comment Chucky, I will do some more research. Thanks.

dont ferget Sticky-Fingers will want his piece!!