Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin yesterday charged that under the Minnis administration, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) was in chaos and experienced "total mismanagement".

"It's the most chaotic, disastrous, shady, suspect oversight of BPL that I think the nation has ever seen," Hanna-Martin said.

She was pushing back against claims made by former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis and Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright in the House of Assembly that BPL has taken a turn for the worst under the Davis administration.

"I guess we can do whatever we like under this prime minister," Minnis said.

"We saw this, too, when there was a public back and forth between the minister of works and the prime minister over who was to blame over not carrying out the BPL hedge strategy we left in place, but, sadly, the collective failure of the minister and his boss led to serious consequences for Bahamians.

"Electricity bills have skyrocketed. I am frightened, Madam Speaker, as I listened to individuals who said that their bills have moved from $200 to $700, I am frightened to see my bill. I am frightened.

"Bahamians should remember that the PLP is at fault for this when they have to pay these high, astronomical bills. The PLP was at fault. We're now hearing that they are load shedding during what is already a very, very hot summer."

Minnis said his government made enormous progress in fixing what have been historic problems at BPL.

"Madam Speaker, we were faced with load shedding and we had introduced about 160 megawatts of new generation capacity that was secured, which meant that we improved generation capacity to 325 megawatts," he said.

"New Providence needs on its maximum day about 260, so we had spare to ensure that load shedding was a thing of the past.

"We had purchased seven Wartsila engines which would have produced 132 megawatts and then we had a GE which would have produced about 30 megawatts, so 162 megawatts."

He continued, "Presently, of those seven engines — because they're not giving the minister (responsible for BPL) the facts, but I can give him those facts — out of those seven generators that produce 132, two are no longer functioning, and you know why? Because the new team — you see, governments are supposed to be continuous — they moved who were there and brought in others. The maintenance program was not maintained and therefore the engines subsequently [broke] down.

"Now, Madam Speaker, because there were contractual agreements with the manufacturers of the engine, there would never have been a problem in accessing parts, if they were needed, but, today, there will be problems with parts, so, Madam Speaker, all I say, prepare for heat. It's coming. The minister said it's coming."

Speaking with reporters recently, Alfred Sears, the works minister who has responsibility for BPL, said load shedding was possible, but BPL will use all its resources in an effort to prevent that course of action.

At the end of 2022, BPL ended a contract with Wartsila to operate 123 megawatts of generation capacity at the Clifton Pier power station. Wartsila also carried out maintenance.

BPL CEO Shevonn Cambridge recently told The Nassau Guardian there is no truth to the FNM's claim that some generators are lost for the summer.

"The two units that are currently off are undergoing their annual maintenance. They're not lost for the summer," Cambridge said.

In the House yesterday, Cartwright, the FNM deputy, said infrastructure in the country is failing and the Bahamian people deserve better.

He declared, "Ever since this government has come to office, BPL has not been the same. And the level of power generation and what the Bahamian people are experiencing has not been the same."

Responding to the criticism, Hanna-Martin expressed shock that the FNM MPs are criticizing the government on BPL given what she charged has been a poor record under the Minnis administration.

"A lot of these issues are historical," she said, repeating a point that was made earlier by South and Central Abaco MP John Pinder in response to Cartwright's statement that the power in Abaco keeps going off.

Hanna-Martin said BPL's problems have "been sustained and the former administration made a bad situation worse".

"That's what has to be understood here," she said.

"You can't mash it up and come the next day when you ain't get power no more walking around and saying 'you know you ain't do this and you ain't do that,' as if you are some great proprietors of some great intelligence of energy and electricity in this country."

She added, "What is happening with our institutional recollection, historical recollection of BPL under the FNM?"

Hanna-Martin said, "There was a time in New Providence where the load shedding was so excessive and sustained, people were sleeping on the beach and the then-prime minister [Minnis], he said we are in a crisis. The then-minister of works said we are not, but the then-prime minister said we are in a crisis.

"...I would prefer if St. Barnabas (Cartwright) said to the nation, we need reform on energy. We need reform because this has been an issue that has been [longstanding], even though under the Free National Movement, I've never seen such chaos and total mismanagement."

Hanna-Martin said she was surprised the former minister responsible for BPL, Desmond Bannister, spoke about BPL on a talk show.

She said, "He must believe people forget, eh?

"I want to say for the member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador [Prime Minister Philip Davis], he has taken this conversation further than we have seen in recent times in this country.

"He's talked about solarization, he's talked about green energy, he's talked about LNG, he's moved through The Bahamas and he has gone internationally and made the case about carbon emissions, and so, I think that would have been an appropriate argument for the Bahamian people, not assuming that they can't remember nothing, that they forget they were catching almighty you-know-what."

Hanna-Martin charged that under the previous administration, "there were some very questionable dealings" regarding BPL.

"I'm prepared to move on, you know, but don't cause me to go back there," she said.

"Don't forget there was $90 million in fuel arrears that we were gifted by the former administration."

She also raised the controversial 2018 firing of BPL board members while Bannister was minister responsible.

"When it relates to BPL and the mismanagement and the murky engagement by the former administration, the entire resignation of the board, one of whom I think was the campaign manager for the minister during the election, fundraiser. She had to disassociate herself [from] what was happening."

The former board members in question sued the government for unfair and wrongful dismissal.

The Nassau Guardian previously reported that they reached tentative settlements with the Davis administration, but the status of the matter is unclear.

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