EDITOR, The Tribune.
I appreciate the space provided to me at this juncture to vent on an issue dear to our hearts and for which we have been receiving the same short circuit suspension of our Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) connectivities.
On Monday October 5, 2026 while on my usual commute in the city center, I was surprised to see that some of the businesses downtown Nassau didn’t have power, and what was painful to see the number of tourists standing just in the doorway, with the ones brave enough were deeper inside the store, being served in darkness, but this is the city center should have substitution power source. One Of the stores I decided to visit had a light because of power backup and what the sales person revealed was that the power was offline since yesterday morning, but how come?
On hearing this I was taken aback about a Canadian tourist who lamented that we in the Bahamas with all of this God’s sunlight ought not be having the outages that we seasonally have, comparing that Canada has fewer hours of sunlight, yet the power remains-on much longer than The Bahamas’, asking me what seems to be the problem? I do believe that plenty of policking is taking place, where Bahamian people don’t seem to matter to them, the holders, managers of the power company? That’s horrible!
Editor, what I find intriguing is that for years Bahamians have been paying the surcharge attached to billing and what was unfair was more than actual electricity used, never a re-endorsement recouping of any sums, portions, why? What many of the customers of the corporation have been questioning is just how difficult could managing a utility company be? After All the systems have identified each office category within the company and with the procedure must attached, you have revenues collected from usages, balances, purchases of crude oils and what that sum maybe for the various overhead salaries, incidentals, transportation expenses, gasoline, diesel maintenance, perhaps government taxes, loans?
And it is not like something catches them off guard, maybe an electrical storm where damages resulted to their systems, these were fundamental mechanisms materially connected to the management of this kind of power generation company, but it appears that wisdom, knowledge and understanding have gone on holidays?
Editor, my query is how would the businesses recoup their losses for all of the hours and days of no power? This company was said to be owned by The Bahamian people, many have grown discontented with the poor management unacceptable billings being passed down to its consumers of the occasional power. And what is assured is that we cannot go on and supplement the corporation to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, translated further taxes, with bills upon bills, for it must end?
FRANK GILBERT
Nassau,
October 6, 2026.