Grand Bahama Power shows real leadership

Wed, Oct 19th 2016, 12:36 PM

The Grand Bahama Power Company Limited has showed effective leadership following the passage of Hurricane Mathew. I say this even as I sit in my home without power now for some 11 days after the Category 4 storm pummelled our chain of islands.

Last evening the power company energized my neighborhood, leaving just my block without power. This energizing has been going on for several days now, with continuous updates from the company as to who would be next and when. Just this morning they announced that they would be energizing the Freeport Container Port, the Grand Bahama Shipyard and the Grand Bahama International Airport. Given that they already did so Port Lucaya, Our Lucaya and much of the Lucaya area, this was welcomed news for hundreds of workers fearful that the storm not only took roofs, but also their jobs. God knows, Grand Bahama cannot afford one job loss. To date, Grand Bahama Power has about 25 percent of the island of Grand Bahama electrified and anyone who knows what Mathew did to this island has to conclude that the power company is getting right.

The Grand Bahama Power Company is showing all the signs of enlightened leadership in times of crisis. This type of leadership demonstrates itself in three principal ways, namely: (1) anticipation, (2) rapid assessment, and (3) action. Prior to the storm, the Grand Bahama Power Company had its public relations team on air letting residents know what they should do in preparation for the storm and what the company would be doing at each stage of the storm's approach, passage and exit. This fulsome communication helped residents to anticipate what was likely to occur with their power and how they might best be prepared to deal with the situation as it arose. I have no doubt that the power company's information saved lives, property and money.

After the storm, there was never a sense in Grand Bahama that, in terms of power, recovery was not on the way. Shortly after the storm's passage, the company's people could be seen moving about taking assessment of the power situation. Within a couple of days, we were told that almost 1,000 poles were down and that restoration of power could take weeks, as much as a month, in some areas, and three months in others. This news was not pleasant for residents of the island, but in light of what they experienced it was not incredulous. Indeed, the information allowed residents to begin making plans for life without power long range. So, people began to do what they could to prepare for this reality.

The generators came out, generators were bought and neighbors began arranging with neighbors how they might share the temporary power. Even as they settled into this bad news about the power restoration, however, the power company came with another announcement, which was that help would be arriving from Tampa, Florida and elsewhere within days. That help did come and it continues to come.

With the help of teams from the U.S.A. and elsewhere, the Grand Bahama Power Company's Bahamian crew has performed brilliantly. Damaged poles are being removed and replaced; downed poles repositioned; and transformers and wires repaired, replaced or restored. Bahamians and non-Bahamians working side by side in this gallant effort. Sometimes, there are just Bahamians working and sometimes just non-Bahamians. The residents of the island are grateful and they are saying so to the workers and to the media. Grand Bahama Power did not fiddle or waffle. It got to work and restoration is on the way.

Frankly, what I write about Grand Bahama Power Company can also be said about Grand Bahama Sanitation Services and Grand Bahama Utility Company. Indeed, water started coming days before power, and the utility company was quite effective in communicating its progress. I remained without water for several days after others had it because, unbeknown to me, my guinep tree broke my main line during the storm. But it did not take long after lodging my concern to the G.B. Utility Company that it sent a staff member to the house. Problem was resolved shortly thereafter. So many on the island of Grand Bahama view water differently now. I suspect they now see it more for the precious necessity it is.

Leadership is difficult at all times. It is especially difficult in times of crisis. Whether it was its own training, lessons learned from past storms or just plain common sense, Grand Bahama Power Company and a number of the Grand Bahama service companies are getting it right and showing that kind of leadership that truly impresses. If the same could be done by government and others, there will be a wonderful feeling of triumph arising out of this tragic affair. Kudos to the Grand Bahama Power Company, Sanitation Services and the Grand Bahama Utility Company.

o Zhivargo Laing is a Bahamian economic consultant and former Cabinet minister who represented the Marco City constituency in the House of Assembly.

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