A good example of visionless and poor leadership.

BPL has an accounts receivable problem but (1) the government won’t tell us exactly how much (2) they have not decided what they will do about the problem (3) we delayed the international rate bond issuance so much that it can’t be done anymore (4) even ppl that can pay their bills are not because there is a “do not disconnect list” for the politician (5) we have done zero solar which is virtually free to protect the lucrative import of global warming fossil fuels for the big shots (6) oil has dropped from $70 to $20 but we have no money to buy future supplies (7) we have done zero grid upgrades and hurricane season starts in 2 months.

Minnis should never have appointed Desmond Bannister minister of works or given him any portfolio as a cabinet minister for that matter. And the people who voted for Bannister in May 2017 should be most ashamed of themselves for having subjected our nation (all of us) to his many serious shortcomings.

The quickest way to enhance cash flow ----- **make it as easy as possible for customers to pay you.**

BPL should quickly adjust their policies to make sure it meets the current situation of their customers. Start making calls and put out mass communication on how to make payments during the COVID-19 dilemma....don't just wait until payments stop coming in.

Currently, there is an online portal that businesses can use to make payments, but it only works efficiently under the best of circumstances.

I know of multiple businesses that struggle to retrieve their bills timely and have challenges using the online portal because it was set up under an email address that is no longer available (i.e. a previous accounts clerk that no longer works for the company). Or, businesses that have multiple meters can't get their bills all at once or in the same manner because of some bureaucracy.

The entity needs to revisit their online payment process with a particular focus for the ease of businesses. In appearance, it seems to be well established, but in practice, it is not.

On point Millennial242! Drives me crazy every month......

For a millennial you seem to not be familiar with online banking?

I am. It works seamlessly for 'some' of the banks, but not all. Not all businesses/customers bank with RBC or SBL. Again, lack of consistency. My feedback here is coming straight from dealing with multiple platforms.

I agree.. being able to pay online is very difficult. One should only need the account number to be able to pay, but they want you to call some jackazz who never answers, just to get started on this process. Meanwhile , one can do ecommerce around th World in as few as 2 clicks!!

Yeah, because this is the 10th pandemic that we have seen in recent history, right? All of you , take a chill pill. It sounds like all of you have a great solution. If you do , please share with the rest of the world whom are dealing with this day by day. at this point, there is no wrong decision. we must tweek and adjust to each day.

What part of dumping Bannister as an important part of any solution going forward did you not understand?

simple everyone wears a mask outside or in public locations. BAM problem solved.

there can be lots of posdible wrong decisions just look at the US and Italy.

The online system is not working. Many persons have been trying to access online accounts to no avail.The system is always down. Frustrated as hell. The telephones are not being answered even if persons are trying to seek help.
Keep the inefficiencies up and the cooperation will see worst days.

Here is the beginning of the end. When BPL can't buy fuel in 30 days, what gov't gonna do? borrow more money from the IDB and put the Bahamas into junkbond status. Britian just got downgraded to AA-. it will happen here and then we will be hoe-ing water and totting wood just like our southern neighbors.

Which is why this can not happen. BPL needs to be sold immediately to a private owner, so its off government books at least for going forward.

I am not surprised by this. On reading the article I checked and had not received my March bill. When trying to pay it, I discovered that BPL had changed the website and it is now impossible to pay the bill. Typical example of when it ain't broke, don't fix it. Previously it worked seamlessly and I never had a problem. Now goodness knows when it will be possible to pay

jrcw11136.....Since March is not yet over you won't be able to access or receive your March bill until after April 1. I've been using the online system for years and in general it works well. I agree the changes they made recently are a pain in the butt and the new format of the actual online bill is not nearly as good as the old format, it doesn't seem to have qite as much details as before, it still seems to work ok.

It doesn't help that this was also the month where BPL did an upgrade on everyones online accounts and you had to reset your password to pay. It took me a long time of calling to get mine reset, to the point i was going to leave it as i know they are not allowed to disconnect. They need to get the basics straight and there rest will be easier to deal with.

I find myself hoping that this situation does not result in BPL ceasing work in Marsh Harbour in residential areas where they have erected new poles but have not yet completed installing insulators, lines and transformers where required. Things are bad enough without a further delay and uncertainty about a public power supply that can replace reliance upon private generators.

Break out da candles

Lets keep our borders closed permanently. Bahamas is for Bahamians - Kick out all non-Bahamians. Stop using the USD as our pegged currency - in fact, stop using money all together. Create a centralized utopia like Cuba has. Dr. Minnis can ration out food and medicine and electricity to everyone and we can live a simple lifestyle.

What are you smojing ?

Having a credit bureau and “FICO” score for each Bahamian adult would go along to encourage Bahamians to pay their BEC bill.

With such credit monitoring systems if you don’t pay your BEC bill your score goes down so when you go to the bank for credit they will view you as a higher risk which would restrict your ability to trade.

BEC asks for a deposit which is inadequate because by the time they turn off your lights the deposit has long been exhaustived.

In developed countries deposits must be returned to customers after one year.

FICO Scores are good and bad, many horror stories abound in the US. Be careful what you wish for!

BPL needs to be sold ASAP so its off of the public books.

This process should occured years ago, we are so behind in terms of where we should be due to money going into things related to BPL that were totally non productive. Poor efficancy, super high rates, policital pressure to not collect all bills owed, the list goes on.

Rates will come down and it'll be on someone else to oversee BPL operations, the public voter has done a horrible job of it over the years to be totally honest. If people can not see that they must be blind.

I have been trying to pay my bill but unable to do so on-line. Why would BPL do this in the midst of a crisis?? The programmers at BPL must the same ones at Cable Bahamas who programmed the new TV Guide. Fire the whole lot of them!! I can pay but unable because of their new system that is not working. Why was this issue not revealed in this article?? Poor reporting!!

It seems all but certain that we will be at the door of the IMF within the next 12 months. BPL cant disappear, so we need to find a way to keep that going.. same thing for WSC. On the other hand, this may be the time to sell ir close bahamasair.. its a luxury a poor financially challenged country will no longer be able to support. May have to let ZNS collapse and slash those gluttonous pensions being paid to former politicians and civil servants and quasi-government corporations. The day of reckoning has arrived known as COVID-19.

Maybe if Bannister had allowed Shell NA To proceed as planned the business would not be cashed strapped and could have cut the consumers some slack. The country would be in a completely different state when it comes to power security. The Board decided otherwise...so now figure it out. Don’t frighten and use scare tactics when the country is in crisis. Bannister chose to get ride of the previous board and stood by while many competent staff were forced out. He chose to continue with the likes of Heastie...Rollins and Moxey and board....so now figure it out! You all so smart figure out how to give relief to the owners of the company...the Bahamian people!! No excuses!!