By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard said the Grand Bahama Port Authority has not “gone far enough” in its decision to suspend its review of Grand Bahama Power Company’s base rate increase proposal.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Mr Pintard said the GBPA should have given GBPC a “hard no” in response to its application for a 6.3 percent rate increase.

Mr Pintard said Freeport’s municipal government should have made GBPC aware that it is not the “appropriate time” to implement a rate increase, not only due to unreliable service but because the electricity rates are already high.

“We agree that they should suspend the consideration of a 6.3 percent increase,” said Mr Pintard.

“These companies like an albatross around the necks of Bahamians in many ways. We said they should have gone further. They should have not only indicated a suspension of consideration, they should give a hard no, that this is not the appropriate time to bring such an application.

“We are saying to the GBPA, you moved in the right direction, but haven’t gone far enough. Indicate to the power company, not only because of your inconsistent supply of electricity, but because rates were already high before you even considered the increase, we are not prepared to provide any kind of relief at this at this juncture.”

Mr Pintard also suggested electricity companies have a five-year rate review instead of three and only be allowed to obtain a rate increase under “extraordinary circumstances”.

“We’ve called for rather than a three-year review of electricity adjustments that you should go to a five-year, and only extraordinary circumstances should cause a company to raise an issue of a rate hike,” he maintained.

Mr Pintard also noted the electricity supply in New Providence has been “inconsistent” while electricity bills remain high.

He accused the Davis administration of not conducting competitive bidding during its energy reform and keeping the details of the deal to provide generation a “closely guarded secret”.

“The power bills are not going down in New Providence, but yet, if you live all over New Providence, we have inconsistent supply,” said Mr Pintard

“What makes it even more damning is that BPL is in the process of a privatisation that the public does not understand the formula being used by the government.

“We know that most of the privatisation has not been competitive. Competitive bidding in very few sections, maybe a portion of the solarisation in New Providence and the Family Island, but certainly not in the transmission and distribution contracts, certainly not in the generation component. That’s the closely guarded secret. And I understand the profit margin for those in generation is substantially more than the persons in T and D.”

The Veterinary Medicine Bill was passed in Parliament yesterday, creating a comprehensive regulatory regime for the practice of veterinary medicine and addressing critical areas such as the licensing of veterinarians, establishing professional standards, a veterinary council and the appointment of a registrar.

Mr Pintard advocated for livestock farmers to implement more renewable energy sources to ensure they can continue to slaughter animals and store meat in a safe environment.

“One of the problems is that they’re slaughtering in remote locations, and sometimes in residential areas because they lack power in those remote locations where they work,” said Mr Pintard.

“As I think about the farmers in remote areas that need solarization, that need proper roads and infrastructure and light so that they can have a proper area and facilities for slaughtering animals as we grow our animal sector, I think about all Bahamians who today, one of the biggest costs to businesses and to Bahamians, especially the middle class, is the cost of energy.”