Massive Incompetence of FNM
Government on take over Morton Salt Plant
November 29th 2009
FNM
Ministers Earl Deveaux and Phenton Neymour have disgracefully mismanaged the
takeover of the Morton Salt Power Plant on Inagua which add millions to the
escalating losses of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation. Despite having two
Ministers to oversee the affairs of BEC they have demonstrated gross incompetence
in a simple take over a small power plant & operation.
They
must hang their heads in terrible shame for their disgraceful ineptitude in the
handling of this transaction. Can the good people of our Country imagine how
these two may botch a major transaction if they are jointly unable to
effectively handle this minor one? The massive losses at BEC post 2007 is such
an example. But we know they are quick
to blame. The initial blame of BEC losses was placed on the PLP but is now
being placed on the Family Islands operations.
MP V Alfred Gray informed Parliament in June 2009 that
since BEC had replaced the old Morton Salt Electricity Meters in December 2008
no bills were sent to his Constituents in Inagua. Jr. Minister Phenton Neymour’s
response on June 15th 2009 was: “It was only a matter of
days ago that I stood in this Hall, during the debate on the URCA Bill and
announced that the provision of electricity and billing in Inagua is still the
responsibility of Morton Salt. Mr. Speaker, that has not changed.
What BEC had done was to install
modern meters in an effort to continue with the
upgrading of the
facilities in Inagua. This process began after Inagua was hit by
hurricane Ike. I again
ask the member from MICAL to stop this petty politics and be
honest with his
constituents, just as I was honest with him in these halls and in the Smokers
room. The employees at BEC are watching and listening to you.
Remember Bahamians vote silently, but their vote
speaks loudly”. End quote.
Since the installation of BEC meters no billings
have been made to customers in Inagua as Morton Salt Company was unable to read
the meters up to this very date. Despite being strongly brought to the
attention of Jr. Minister Neymour and Earl Deveaux who both failed to addressed
the serious dilemma. To date, Ministers Deveaux and Neymour have sat on their
hands and done nothing.
Today consumers in Inagua have not been billed
going on a year and the estimated billings are said to be over a Million
dollars. How can the Government logically expect the good people of Inagua to
pay electricity bills that are in arrears more than a year? And failing that,
do they expect the Morton Salt Company to absorb the massive loss due entirely
to the failure of an arrogant and incompetent FNM Government?
The good people of Inagua have already
experienced and continue to experience the colossal incompetence of Hubert
Ingraham and the FNM Government who has willfully allowed an almost completed
(85%) Clinic on Inagua to sit and has been overran with weeds going on for
three years while the brand new Doctors’ residence also sits unoccupied.
Remember the Grand Cay Abaco Clinic.
Jr. Minister Phenton Neymour with fanfare
informed Parliament more than two years ago that the Government was taking over
the Morton Salt Power Plant and began the upgrading of the facilities after
passage of Hurricane Ike. Morton Salt I am advised continued to supply fuel and
maintain the plant at the company’s expense. The final agreement was executed
by BEC’s Chairman am advised in September 2009 and BEC has yet to take over the
operations but has engaged the services of an Inaguan for some time.
The admonition which the
Jr. Minister Neymour directed to MP V Alfred Gray can best be directed to Hubert
Inghram and his incompetent gang: The employees at BEC and indeed thinking
Bahamians are watching and listening to you. Remember Bahamians vote silently,
but their vote speaks loudly.
