By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power & Light expects to save $3.3 million by replacing three of its expatriate employees with seven Bahamian employees, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold revealed yesterday.

This comes as BPL’s board prepares to restructure the company, moving further away from PowerSecure’s short tenure as manager.

BPL board Chairwoman Darnell Osbourne said yesterday: “When you add all the salaries of the executives and also the management fee, we were paying close to $5m per annum. When you look at the replacement of the CEO, the COO, four new directors and even a new manager, you still only come up to about $1.1m, so you’re talking about saving well over three million.”

PowerSecure was paid a base management fee of $2m per year. 

Mrs Osbourne suggested that in addition to cost-savings, the company will reap qualitative improvements because new positions, which did not exist under PowerSecure, will be created in the new era. 

“You were paying these individuals that amount of money, bearing in mind you were also paying Bahamian executives, but you didn’t have attention to things like the environment which was supposed to be addressed by the management of PowerSecure and renewables were not being addressed either,” she said.

“In the best interest of the corporation, they need to be put in place. We are also looking at the risk function of the organisation and a position is planned to address that as well. Given issues with procurement we have decided we need somebody directly over that.”

PowerSecure removed the position of assistant general manager with responsibility for Family Islands when it managed the company.

BPL’s board intends to bring that position back and make the person responsible for Family Islands a director. 

“Some positions will be filled in due course,” Mrs Osbourne said. “We need the CEO and COO in place.”

BPL’s board recently announced that Whitney Heastie has been appointed CEO and Christina Alston will be the COO.

Two weeks ago, the board made a presentation to Cabinet explaining its plans for BPL, although the final version of its business plan has not yet been released.

Mr Newbold said yesterday: “Board members spoke to various aspects of BPL’s proposed business plan…Directors would be responsible for each of the following areas under the COO: generation services, transmission and distribution, Family Island operations, technical planning/renewables, and procurement/supply chain. An additional five directors with responsibilities for customer service, security/investigations, human resources and internal communications, health, safety and environment and information technology would report to the chief financial officer. Some of the posts would have to be advertised.”