Tuesday, November 27, 2018
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Bahamas Electricity Corporation Chairman Leslie Miller yesterday urged executives at the Bahamas Power and Light to exercise leniency on those customers who have been disconnected or are experiencing difficulty paying bills.
Mr Miller insisted BPL should take a page from the book of the former Christie administration which believed it was better to keep people connected and collect something as opposed to disconnecting and receiving nothing.
According to him, the former government was able to reduce the number of those disconnected to around 2,000 or under because they understood many experienced hard times.
However, the number has again shot up to 6,000, according to Works Minister Desmond Bannister last week, who told The Nassau Guardian that on a regular basis it could be as low as 4,500.
As there is a temporary spike in the cost of electricity, Mr Miller called on BPL to “give people a break”.
This comes after the government last week tabled an amendment to value added tax legislation to allow the VAT-free ceiling on electricity to be raised to $300.
“We just told Bahamians to come in and renegotiate their bills but our view was very simple, it is better for everybody to pay $200 a month than to have them taken off the grid and pay nothing,” Mr Miller told The Tribune yesterday when he was contacted.
“It’s minuscule what the regular household uses that it makes no sense to have them off. You have to turn them off so they know, listen you have a bill here that you have to pay. Then you call them in and you negotiate and give them a new package to pay and everybody would be happy to pay it because Christmas is on the way. That’s what we did.
“We went in with the premise that first of all the corporation belonged to the Bahamian people. These are very difficult economic times, so you work with them.
“But you can’t have people who are stringent and hard ass like a lot of people in BEC think they own the company. Their lights off so the hell with you this is what you will pay or you off. You have to be able to give and give the people a break. If most people are on the grid you making money anyhow because you generating more money but if they off you get nothing.”
Mr Miller also shared the sentiment of Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants President Gowon Bowe that light bills are now comparable with paying a mortgage.
“If there are people who spike up to 60 percent and you have trouble paying the first bill how the hell they going to pay the second bill?
“It’s like having a second mortgage. If I can’t pay $800 a month mortgage and you put me up to $1,400 you know I can’t pay it because your price have limited my ability to pay the bill. I just think we need to work them, show some leniency. Get your people downstairs who are always hard on the people to go easy and let everybody be on for Christmas.”
Last week BPL Chairman Donovan Moxey revealed the corporation was considering a review of BPL’s disconnection policy in view of the temporary hike in electricity costs.
Mr Miller, former Tall Pines MP, left BEC in 2015 before the government owned utility provider transitioned to BPL under a new management structure.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic says...
This ranting and raving mad lunatic should have been locked up for the many millions of dollars he and his family effectively stole from Bank of The Bahamas (BOB), leaving taxpayers and national insurance contributors to foot the hefty bill associated with many foolish failed attempts by government to try resurrect BOB from the dead. BPL should do us all a big favour by shutting off power to Miller's house and all of his family owned business enterprises for the Christmas Holiday season. He and his family no doubt owe BPL hundreds of thousands of dollars. LMAO
Posted 27 November 2018, 8:23 a.m. Suggest removal
Dawes says...
All sounds great but all you are doing is putting more delinquent accounts onto the taxpayer. I would understand if the policy was the customer had to pay the current portion plus some of the arrears. But if it is just putting something on the bill so it grows each month then no, this is stupid.
Posted 27 November 2018, 11:53 a.m. Suggest removal
TigerB says...
I was kinda wondering which light bill is the highest, BPL or Grand Bahama Power
Posted 27 November 2018, 12:45 p.m. Suggest removal
Alex_Charles says...
BPL.
Seems like Grand Bahama Power can even keep the power on, something BPL has struggled with for 30 years.
Posted 28 November 2018, 11:47 a.m. Suggest removal
Socrates says...
we bahamians need to decide what type of economy we wish to have. if the guiding principle is going to be the people (gov't) own the place so we dont need to be concerned about who pays or does not pay, then stop this talk about profit and loss. in such a scenario that concept would be alien. everybody use however much you need, if you can pay good, if not let the taxpayers all pay for you. textbook socialism. one day we want to be efficient, reduce costs, etc., next day none of that matters. cant have it both ways. same time we're at it, lets all ride free on bahamasair, after all we own that too...
Posted 28 November 2018, 8:29 a.m. Suggest removal
Gotoutintime says...
That's easy for him to say based on the fact that he never paid his power bills at all.
Posted 28 November 2018, 10:10 a.m. Suggest removal
stocktonfuller says...
Hey Miller, what happened to your deal with Providence Advisors ... If you had made an informed choice there might be some relief for the good folks of New Providence in the near future with lower rates. May be about time for an investigation into corrupt bid practices under your watch
Posted 28 November 2018, 10:45 a.m. Suggest removal
pingmydling says...
Poor ol' Leslie aka--- pathological liar ---Miller.
He would not know a BPL bill if it got up and bit him.
( He never paid one - or the family - so why would he recognise one?)
Trump sycophants scream out " Lock her up".
In Leslie's case "Lock him up".
And throw away the key.!!
Posted 28 November 2018, 12:44 p.m. Suggest removal
sirD says...
I Went to our Post Office Box today in Sandy port.. only bill in there was BPL.. Guess what ??? it was my June 2018 bill. No wonder we dont pay our bllls. Get the bill 5 months later???? I Pay eevery month and guesstimate.. not a good system. I used to get my bills via email until BPL took over. The woman at BEC told me my email was in the system, never happened
Posted 28 November 2018, 1:07 p.m. Suggest removal
Clamshell says...
Along with not delivering power, we no longer deliver the mail.
Posted 28 November 2018, 2:17 p.m. Suggest removal
DEDDIE says...
Social electricity. I live a good part of my life using kerosene. People need to adjust their life style in accordance with their paycheck. If you can't afford electricity, adjust until you are in a better position
Posted 28 November 2018, 1:39 p.m. Suggest removal
pingmydling says...
Deddie
with your educational abilities why use that expensive kerosene?
Try rubbing two sticks together.
Which one is your cave?
Oh yea, the second on the left. I see the smoke.
Posted 28 November 2018, 1:56 p.m. Suggest removal
Clamshell says...
The moment we forgive the bills is the moment everybody quits paying them.
Posted 28 November 2018, 2:19 p.m. Suggest removal
B_I_D___ says...
Maybe if Miller paid HIS bill the corporation would not be so cash strapped and could afford to offer some leniency...
Posted 28 November 2018, 2:20 p.m. Suggest removal
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