By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis said she “believes” the government is looking at a full-tariff review after it was reported earlier this week that the power company bills Bahamians at double the global average.

“I can’t speak too much towards that because I’d have to get further detail on where BPL exactly is in doing that review but once we have more information I’ll be able to provide clarity or we’ll be able to get clarity from the sector itself,” the energy minister said.

Earlier this week, The Inter-American Bank’s (IDB) 2024-2028 country strategy for The Bahamas revealed that Bahamians are one of the highest paying in the Caribbean for electricity.

That report by the IDB outlaying the details of just how much Bahamians are paying for utilities comes after, Energy minister Coleby-Davis revealed during her mid-year budget debate earlier this month that Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) needs more than $1 billion to pay debts and upgrade it’s aging infrastructure.

She also revealed that Bahamians should see a gradual reduction in their electricity bills by July 2024 as the government has a plan which will see an improvement to the sector, though she nor Prime Minister Philip Davis have provided details of said plan.

Both have denied it involves the privatisation of BPL, despite the company’s unionised workers speaking out about hearing as such.

Earlier this month, the government revealed that “fundamentals” of a BPL deal have been agreed to, which will outsource the power utility company’s generation and transmission and distribution systems.

This has come under criticism from multiple Bahamians who are or once were stakeholders in the country’s energy sector including Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Kyle Wilson, former Minister of Works responsible for BPL Desmond Bannister and former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) director Debbie Deal.