By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

ENERGY and Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis said the Davis administration’s ambitious plan to reform BPL would not bust unions or harm employees.

“There will be no BPL layoffs,” she said after revealing during her mid-year budget contribution yesterday that BPL needs $1bn to address debt and deteriorating infrastructure.

 Neither she nor Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis gave insight into BPL plans, with Mr Davis saying negotiations are ongoing.

 Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard and BPL union leaders have said the administration aims to separate the transmission and distribution sides of BPL from the generation side with the help of new partners.

 The unions have come out against what they have learned so far.

 Mrs Coleby-Davis’ ministry confirmed yesterday that two members of BPL’s board recently resigned, though the reasons were not revealed. 

 Christina Alston, the chief operating officer of BPL from 2017 to 2019, and Dylan Sawyer, the son of former Progressive Liberal Party Central and South Abaco candidate Gary Sawyer, are new appointees to the board.

 Mrs Coleby-Davis said yesterday that BPL is more than $500m in debt and that over $500m will be needed over the next five years to upgrade its decaying infrastructure.

 “It owes banks, it owes the government, and it owes employees’ pensions that are underfunded by $120m,” she said. “Big change is needed.”

 Mrs Coleby-Davis said a $300m investment generation equipment in New Providence and the Family Islands is needed, as well as a $130m investment in transmission and distribution in New Providence in the next two years alone, $35m for advanced metering infrastructure, and $70m in other costs.

 She said the government’s plan would deliver lower prices, increase reliability, and produce cleaner sources of energy for Bahamians.

 “It is paramount that we attract capital and expertise where needed to ensure that we build a robust and resilient utility capable of servicing the Bahamian people for generations to come,” she said.

 “Our goal is to select partners who are best in class and have the global reach to achieve that gold standard.”

 Mrs Coleby-Davis, echoing Mr Davis, said the administration will not privatise the utility company.

 “BPL is not for sale,” she said. “We are going to leverage strategic partners to ensure that BPL remains a viable energy utility meeting the current and future needs of all Bahamians.”

 During his contribution to the debate, Mr Pintard accused Mrs Coleby-Davis and the administration of lacking transparency in their dealings with BPL.

 “I find it very fascinating that the Minister for Energy, the brand new, spanking brand, new Minister for Energy, said that their plan is transformative but certainly we don’t believe that,” he said. “But even if it was transformative, it certainly isn’t transparent because we do not know what the plan is,” he said.

 “And in fact, the minister supports this point that the public does not know, the workers do not know, stakeholders do not know. Energy providers who would have loved to compete for what they are giving out specifically to some would like to know.”