Friday, January 26, 2018
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Progressive Liberal Party does not believe utility companies should treat politicians differently from ordinary citizens, PLP leader Philip "Brave" Davis said yesterday, adding the comments of South Andros MP Picewell Forbes in Parliament on Wednesday were "inelegantly articulated" and "taken out of context".
Mr Forbes drew criticism for suggesting politicians be protected and extended certain "courtesies" in the way companies like Bahamas Power & Light (PLP) treat them in the face of nonpayment.
Last year, The Tribune revealed Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis' decision to clamp down on a longstanding, secret policy involving a "special list" of politicians whose water and electricity services are never disconnected despite their lack of payment, a privilege not extended to other Bahamians.
On Wednesday, Mr Forbes said in Parliament a conversation about how politicians are treated with respect to their light bills is needed.
"That is the reality," Mr Forbes said. "It's a small amount of persons who would have passed through these halls, senators, members of Parliament. I think there must be a basic benchmark or protocol for persons whose lights are going to be turned off, people who serve in public offices or those who have served."
Contacted yesterday, Mr Davis distanced himself from Mr Forbes' comments and emphasised that the official position of the PLP is for all Bahamians to be treated equally, regardless of status or profession. He claimed Mr Forbes did not say politicians should have their lights remain on, but that they should be notified before an impending disconnection.
"If I'm receiving a service and you are going to terminate that service, there should be a courtesy to let me know you're going to terminate that if I don't pay it in a day or two, that's the point he was making," Mr Davis said adding that Mr Forbes was referring to "one or two colleagues that have had that happen to them, causing embarrassment recently, and he wasn't referring to himself."
Asked why Mr Forbes singled out politicians as worthy of this courtesy, Mr Davis said: "That's why I said it was inelegantly articulated. This is a courtesy that should be extended across the board to everyone, not just politicians. Before you cut anyone's light off, give some notice that you are doing so and make some effort to ensure you let them know you're going to do that and if the customer does not do certain things within a day or two there will be termination."
It is not currently the protocol of BPL to inform customers ahead of an impending disconnection, The Tribune was told by a high-ranking official yesterday.
Mr Davis added: "They also have to make sure customers receive their bill. I didn't receive my bills for two or three months but I made payments on the account because I don't want to get cut off. Whether my account is current now I don't know because I don't know if my wife received the bill for the month. Why cut me off when you don't know if I received the bill?"
Mr Forbes also said Wednesday that disconnecting service of some politicians is used to "settle political scores." Mr Davis backed him up on this point yesterday, pointing to last year's leaks to The Tribune of outstanding light and water bills of politicians, and saying the leaks were focused mostly on PLP politicians.
Minister of Works with responsibility for BPL Desmond Bannister hit out yesterday at what he saw as an insidious accusation.
"I'm the minister with responsibility for BPL and if I don't pay they'll cut me off," he said. "I think everybody looked at (Mr Forbes') comments on the face of it but when he spoke about discrimination that is a concern because I think the allegation is that somehow, we put people into utilities who are going to discriminate against someone for political reasons. We are not going to do that. That's the kind of thing I believe the PLP will do. We don't get involved."
Comments
birdiestrachan says...
I am not sure what Mr; Forbes said. But every customer should pay their bills.
Posted 26 January 2018, 4:11 p.m. Suggest removal
B_I_D___ says...
Here ya go Birdie...for your edification...
https://thenassauguardian.com/2018/01/2…
Please...give us your spin as to why Forbes has a valid point...
Posted 26 January 2018, 4:25 p.m. Suggest removal
licks2 says...
What are we going to do for a good healthy opposition come next election? It sure don't look like this motley crew will ever get anything going that makes any kind of sense. . .begging for light bill payments, can't see anything wrong the PLP did or does and so far out to "left field" that "nobody can see ma". . .and them DNA under their new leader and spokespersons talking so much dumb nonsense that they make themselves less of a choice than them PLP. I hope these people get their act together soon. . .I mean them DNA peoples them. . .THE PLP IS DEAD FOR GOOD GOOD. . .AND DAVIS AND CREW JUST KEEP REMINDING US WHY WE PUT THEM TO DEATH. . .TOO DANG CROOKED AND THINK WE ARE FOOLS!
Posted 26 January 2018, 4:56 p.m. Suggest removal
proudloudandfnm says...
What a load of garbage. If you don't pay you get cut off. Bout notice. You know you haven't paid. Why the hell you need notice? Brave is as full of it as Pricewell....
Posted 26 January 2018, 6:55 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Ma Comrade Braddas, the leader Her Majesty's Official Opposition, the Speaker of Peoples House of Assembly and a sitting Out Island MP's, only real job was to demonstrate average level headiness, and as in the case opposition leader, House Speaker and Out Island MP, they are badly trailing behind public opinion. The three have said things that would have shocked the hell out their Constituents.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2018…
Posted 26 January 2018, 8:04 p.m. Suggest removal
SP says...
PLP All The Way...To Nowhere!
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
Posted 26 January 2018, 10:25 p.m. Suggest removal
DaGoobs says...
And Picewell was supposed to be a shining example of the New PLP! They are in more trouble than they know but I will wait the full 5 years before making any predictions about the FNM winning hands down again in 2022. The FNM is all over the place with everyone who was unable to speak on behalf of the party spouting off the first thing that comes to their head. They haven't shown yet what is their cohesive plan for turning this country around and fixing what's broken, corrupt, inefficient and ineffective in this country. The lesson they need to learn from their 2017 victory is that, once in office, you have to have a viable plan of action so that if and when you take over you hit the ground running with plans, policies, and the persons to carry them out. Right now everything is pillar to post and, taking marital rape as one example, they seem to get distracted from the job at hand by going off on something that is important to a small number of people without being able to say when they are going to fix the things that benefit the greatest number of people. Yes marital rape is important but not more important than job creation, fixing public services and public amenities and laying out for us what is your game plan and timetable. Too many things waiting out there to be addressed in some sort of order.
Posted 27 January 2018, 1:32 a.m. Suggest removal
Porcupine says...
Picewell is a piece of work.
He is well suited for the job he now has.
Talking bullshit and getting paid for it.
He is one of the worst.
Here in south Andros, his constituency detests him.
If this country is ever to move forward, it will only be when people like Picewell are removed from politics forever.
There should be an honest investigation of how he really got into office this time around.
The answer may not be pretty.
Posted 27 January 2018, 4:55 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
The whole of Andros sounds like a piece of work ...... a lawless place.... the wild wild west (no pun intended) ............ Just my observations from afar.
Posted 27 January 2018, 10:55 a.m. Suggest removal
Socrates says...
isn't it strange how when a politician talks nonsense, another colleague has to say what he meant to say? he said what he said, and i'm certain he meant it exactly how he said it. many of them, current and former politicians, are absolutely convinced that they should be treated differently from me and you.
Posted 27 January 2018, 7:32 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
What am I missing????? ......... Did Davis not make Perswell the new Leader of Opposition Business in the House?????? ....... Is he now pulling a Trump and trying to muzzle or fire him??? ......... The present PLP leadership is completely "wutless".
Posted 27 January 2018, 8:24 a.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
Nominations are now being accepted for The Commonwealth's Buffoon of the Year Award. Previous winners include; Late Again, The Shameless one, Flying F, and The Bahamar Contract Guy.
Posted 27 January 2018, 8:46 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Perswell is a real barefoot McCollough Corner/Smith's Hill boy who hitched his britches to SLOP and rode that horse straight to COB....ZNS ....UWI .....and Parliament. He exemplifies what Andros and the Over-The-Hill mentality is ........... and his "dependency" ethos is actually a mirror of his social background........ Do you listen to his speeches and then try to put them in the context of a man who is a university graduate????? ....... He is 100% SLOPbred.
Posted 27 January 2018, 2:09 p.m. Suggest removal
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