I am attempting to, make sense of it all.  The New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) came to office with the promise of reducing the cost of electricity.  The Minister of Energy, Jobeth Coleby-Davis; “Theodora Elpaba”, promised lower electricity rates by July of 2024 of course she missed her delivery date but that is the only the beginning of this saga.

She then went on the record or was it Secret Squirrel who made such a bold statement?

Prime Minister Davis it was, then went on record to make the bold statement of “I invite all Bahamians, check your bills at the end of July, and see for yourself” as he went on to promise lower electricity rates; okay fair enough.

We waited and then we looked with the anticipation of a child after Santa has visited the house the night before, and most of us were shocked, pun fully intended, because for most of us our bills had actually increased.

Were we only told to look at them so we could see how well the New Day government can and had swung us? That’s simply sadistic but I digress.

I can recall about two to five persons that actually said that their bills decreased, interestingly enough they were all a part of the New Government’s well-oiled and fine-tuned public relations “staff” but then again this here is another and totally different story with a lot of questions. 

The New trend that I am seeing leads me to make the following observation and ask this question; I have seen more and more commercial properties complain about the rise in their electricity, so my question is, has the New Day government applied an increase to the rates for commercial properties to subsidize their promise of lower energy costs and if so, is this good for the economy?

“Chamber: Rising electricity costs having a devastating effect on businesses” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“The escalating cost of electricity is having a “devastating effect” on the business community, according to the chief executive officer of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC).

Dr. Leo Rolle, in a statement to Guardian Business, said: “The BCCEC is deeply concerned over the increased cost of doing business and the devastating effect this has on the business community, with the escalating cost of energy among primary concerns.

“We note the minister’s Jobeth Coleby-Davis, Minister of energy and transport comments relative to increased usage, equating to increased cost, and wonder whether the free energy audits that were mentioned during the initial rollout of the energy reforms have been offered to businesses and taken advantage of by those most impacted.

“While we acknowledge the minister’s comments, we continue our suggestion of education, public awareness and training campaigns, to ensure the business community is appraised of the nuances intricately woven into the fabric of the reforms.”

Coleby-Davis said in remarks in June on the government’s energy reform initiative: “All residential consumers with low and moderate electricity usage will benefit, as the base rate tariff for the first 0 to 200 kWh will be reduced to zero. The upper bands will stay the same, but even if you are a resident with a bill of around 600kWh, you will still benefit from the rate of your first 200kWh being reduced to zero. Note that everyone will still have to pay for the fuel charge for every unit they consume.

“The commercial base tariff will drop slightly from 15 cents to 14.5 cents, and the temporary supply 23 base tariff, which particularly affects the Family Islands, will drop from 16.38 cents to 15 cents. Again, they will both continue to also pay for their fuel charge.”

The Energy Minister comments suggest that all energy rates would and should have dropped but this does not seem have been the case and it seems that the business sector is taking the full brunt of this failed initiative, if it did indeed fail, because I am beginning to fervently believe it was a case of the business sector being used and taken advantage of but how will it affect our economy that is still in a stage of recovery?

Then there is the mystery of; if the private sector is seeing no relief and the business community seeing as jump in their bills; who is benefitting from this initiative?

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END