Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Bradley Roberts criticized the government yesterday for failing to keep its promise to deliver cheaper energy bills to the Bahamian public.
"Despite the public commitments by BEC chairman (Michael Moss) and minister with responsibility for BEC Earl Deveaux, that cheaper energy bills were on the way, Minister of State for the Environment Phenton Neymour said 'he does not anticipate any significant reduction in the Bahamas Electricity Corporation's fuel charge in the near future'," said Roberts in a statement released yesterday.
Indeed, Moss said in July of this year that, "customers will likely experience a reduced fuel charge, due to the combined effect of increased production from Clifton Pier and the downward trend in oil prices, beginning in October."
And earlier this month, Deveaux said that with the overhauled generators back online at BEC, customers would see "a reduction in electricity bills going more into October."
However, with less than a week left in October, Neymour said on Monday that a reduction in customers' bills would not be possible this month.  According to him, BEC officials told the government that customers should have gotten lower bills this month.  "However, if one were to look at the prices, particularly for heavy fuel oil and ... diesel, that may not be as anticipated," he said.
Roberts said that the disheartening performance of Moss, Deveaux and Neymour, "which is tantamount to gross negligence, has resulted in the FNM government's increasing of the basic rates of electricity, to counter the reduction of rates under the PLP."
He continued, "The hiking of the electricity rates by the FNM, during an economic downturn, is more of the same by this oblivious government."

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