By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

An Eleuthera resident questioned what “conditions” BPL would agree to in order for St George’s Cay Power Company (SGCPC) to act as a temporary solution to electricity woes.

When asked if they had contemplated allowing SGCPC, the energy provider for Spanish Wells, Russell Island, West End Cay, Charles Cay and Royal Island to provide generation to parts of Eleuthera, Toni Seymour, BPL’s chief operating officer, yesterday said they hadn’t considered it. She added: “That would have to be some discussions between BPL, St George’s Cay Power, URCA and the government of The Bahamas.

Leatendore Percentie, an Eleutheran frustrated with the state of electricity on Eleuthera and Harbour Island and a supporter of SGCPC, argued that when plans were being made years ago for SGCPC to be involved in power generation in other parts of Eleuthera, BPL was the challenge that thwarted the scheme. He said at the meetings he attended, it was explained it was a matter of who would conduct the billing process.

“Number one, they’re [SGCPC] willing,” Mr Percentie added. “Number two, they have the capacity. And number three, the obstacle was that the government of The Bahamas, BPL, they do not want St George’s Power to directly bill. That is the obstacle.

“In the meetings that we were there for us to go out and promote the idea of St George’s Power coming here, that was what they had told us - that the only way that they will do it is if they were allowed to do the direct billing. In other words, they do not trust BPL. That’s the bottom line. Don’t worry about the dressing up and all that stuff. We’ve had enough of this nonsense going on here in Eleuthera - long enough and it’s got to end. Somebody has got to come to their senses somewhere, somehow, and give this area some kind of darn priority, because what is going on here, it’s utter nonsense. Nothing more, nothing less.

“They need to find out what conditions will BPL accept from St George’s Cay to participate with St George’s Cay. That’s what I would like to know. Honestly to God, Eleuthera is sick of tired, of the garbage treatment that we’ve been getting from from BPL. They have enough money derived particularly from Harbour Island. I understand some months it’s several million dollars. So they can do whatever they want. And for whatever reason, it’s nothing but excuses after excuses after excuses. That’s the long and short of it. Anything outside of that, they may as well just shut up, because all they doing is talking nonsense.”

Noting that she’d need to conduct some more research, Annette Young, who resides in Eleuthera, questioned “why would they not consider that?”

“Why would they not consider that, if it would help them and their load of customers have a better, normal life with power? Why would they not consider that,” Ms Young challenged.

“I would obviously have to read in more detail as to what it would incur. But if you have BPL, who cannot provide the power necessary for their customers, they can’t afford to keep their own people on, why would they refuse the help or the joining of another company that can alleviate some of the issues that they’re having so that everybody could stay on with power?”

Kelly Lash, another Eleuthera resident, however, said he doesn’t believe involving another energy provider will help, adding that old infrastructure is the root of the problem.

“I don’t think that’s going to make any difference, because the big problem is infrastructure,” Mr Lash said. “The wires are just shot. The 40, 50-year-old wires, and everything’s just breaking every which way. So that’s the biggest problem. And then we are obviously exceeding our ability to generate by our demand, and that’s causing the generators on either end of the island to overheat, and when that happens, everything shuts down. It’s just a big mess.

Mr Percentie added: “We’ve heard enough stories. I don’t want to hear no more stories from BPL. They got to come here and do what they got to do. I understand that there is another company who’s trying to get into North Eleuthera - whatever it’s called. And these folks, they already collected money, they already sold shares, and it’s an insult, because now they’re coming to the Harbour Island Commonage to ask for land to do their business after the deal has already been done. So tell them to stop talking foolishness. We’re not stupid island people.”