Abaco has a new power plant. No excuses Mr. Banister just fix the problem. and stop telling
lies about money missing here there and every.

Abaco got a new power plant but were the distribution cables upgraded at the same time? Somehow I doubt it.

Not wanting to admit that much money was misappropriated and/or stolen from government corporations and agencies does not mean it did not happen and happen big time. Successive Bahamian Governments have spent money like it is WATER and the last one (Pillage Loot Plunder) took first prize. MONEY DOES NOT GROW ON TREES. Water is becoming a scarce global commodity. Have you noticed what happens to our precious assets when they are not looked after responsibly?

A word of advice to Mr. Bannister: Forget the smooth talking greedy salesmen and useless intermediaries who want you to buy into the idea that a solar solution is available. Solar is not a feasible solution to any meaningful part of our electricity needs because the panels take up way too much space and New Providence is a small island with very limited land area. Don't let yourself get conned Mr. Bannister.

We're not talking about hot water baths or showers here.

and roofs have been known to collapse under too heavy panels.

i can already see that they have to spend 5 million dollars to reinforce the roof and the foundations.

and then there is the cost of batteries....

You hit it right on the head ......... Its the petro-cartel that had BEC/BPL in shackles

I'm really baffled why BPL resolution by year end was part of any agreement. I understand why Bahamas would demand it to open, I dont understand why the government would commit to it, it's practically impossible

A lot of money changed hands from corrupt Red China officials, seeking to establish a greater foothold on the door step to the U.S., to very greedy corrupt Bahamian government officials at the highest levels. This is why Christie, Maynard-Gibson, Baltron Bethel and so on committed to the impossible. Not a single agreement involving any of the Red China related enterprises associated with the Baha Mar should be honoured by the new FNM government for the sake of the Bahamian people. Corrupt parties that bribe other corrupt parties (politicians) to defeat the sovereignty of a people and cause them grave harm are not capable of entering into legally valid agreements with anyone in the Bahamas, period!

Simple reason ....... The Chinese know that BPL cannot supply enough power to NP, Atlantis and Bahamar ......... So the Chinese want the Bahamian Government to let them take over BPL and own that sector as well ..... The Caribbean countries are quickly becoming Chinese colonies

Perhaps the solution is manifold.
Perhaps we should ask BahaMar to be responsible for their own electricity generation.
Their electricity needs should be easily quantifiable.
Is this unreasonable in light of what the Bahamian people have given them in terms of our national treasure?
They could have the needed generators here in a matter of days.
And, since it is said that there are over a million Chinese people employed manufacturing solar panels, what a great way to highlight the way of the future, as well as, boost their own manufacturing sector.
This would allow BPL to concentrate on the people of The Bahamas.
Obviously, they have their hands full. However, remember a few years ago when a Mr. Leslie Miller went on his generator vacation to Florida, only to return a few days later to say "BEC IS BROKE" I believe were the headlines in The Tribune. Was it a surprise to Mr. Miller that BEC was broke? Why did he go in the first place? What has really changed, honestly, other than the name, BPL? Again, why not full disclosure about where the problems lie and what is the way forward.
Instead, year after year, people are sleeping outside in the summer because we can't figure it out, even with very, very high prices for electricity.
We must do better.
I fear that this is the new normal in The Bahamas.
All of our money is going out as interest payments and late fees on our unsustainable national debt.
VAT and its' equally onerous compliance costs are literally killing the working class and poor.
This money is being sucked out of the real economy and into the void of "government spending".
No accountability, kickbacks for every contract, wasteful spending designed to merely get votes.
Solar is a very real necessity for the future. Unquestionably.
However, there are a myriad of other failures that need addressing before the first solar panel is mounted in place.
Perhaps break up BPL and allow the Family Islands to concentrate on solar first.
It would make a great capital project for those with the vision and desire to make the Family Islands sustainable, reliable and economically viable locations for the future.
Yes, something must be done.
However, it seems that we have a greater portfolio of things that don't work, than things that do.
Firstly, we should correct the things that seem to contribute the most to our abundant failures.

Quite right on all counts. You forgot the numbers houses. Mum seems to be the word on those. One has a hard time understanding why the Parliamentarians just don't get it (the points you so neatly listed). Or perhaps they do..........
Wonder if any of them read The Tribune and all of the eloquent and not so eloquent commentary???

Bahamar (and Atlantis) both requested permission to supply their own electricity, but were forced to attach themselves to BEC/BPL unreliable grid. The generators supplying New Providence were purchased years ago, are nightmares to maintain, and expensive to run. I agree with IkalikI that the problem has not been addressed by successive PLP and FNM governments dating back to the seventies. I hope this time the FNM can get it's act together and really address the issue. Meantime, they better rent some additional generating plants. This summer is going to be a scorcher and power cuts have become almost a daily occurrence. People are tired of the same lame excuses by the power company and the government.