By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

PRESIDENT of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union Paul Maynard yesterday said that layoffs at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation are “likely” and “to be expected” when the new management company takes over, however he said it will not be in the “hundreds” as is now being speculated.

Mr Maynard told The Tribune that the union has a meeting with Power Secure, the American company that has been selected to manage the utility provider, next week to discuss possible layoffs and until then he will “not assume the worst”.

On Monday in the House of Assembly, Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said he understands between 400 to 500 persons will be laid off during BEC’s restructuring. He questioned whether the government had a hand in the expected layoffs and what “they were going to do about it.”

However, Minister of Works Philip Davis later told reporters on Monday that no decision had been made yet on layoffs and that if there are any redundancies, they would be minimal.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Maynard said mass layoffs at BEC would be a “mistake.”

“At this point I am not assuming anything, I am waiting until I speak with PowerSecure. I do not operate on rumours,” Mr Maynard said. “I operate on facts, when I hear what they have to say, we will go from there.”

He added: “We are prepared to work with them and we will deal with the layoffs, if and when they come. But we need the employees that are here. BEC is already stretched thin to the max with employees. These employees are already being worked into the ground.

“It will be a mistake to have mass layoffs, the job at BEC is very complex, it is not as simple as everyone thinks. I do not play politics, as the president of the union I am tied to my members. My members who have school fees and mortgages to pay, I have to make sure the plan is what is best for them. In the end, I think it will be fine. It will be okay.”

The government signed a transition services agreement with PowerSecure for management of BEC in May.

On Monday, Mr Davis led debate in the House of Assembly on three bills that are expected to pave the way for the Christie administration’s plan to reform the electricity sector, ultimately reducing the cost of electricity to consumers.

The House of Assembly passed the Electricity Bill, Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (Amendment) Bill and the Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Bill on Monday night.

Once the Electricity Bill is passed into law, the corporation will be named Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).