National

Pintard: You Should’ve Been Fired As A Minister

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Issues with Bahamas Power and Light again spilling onto the floor of the House of Assembly Wednesday sparking a heated back and forth.

Published

6 months ago

November 1, 2023

Berthony McDermott

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Issues with Bahamas Power and Light again spilling onto the floor of the House of Assembly Wednesday sparking a heated back and forth between Opposition Leader Michael Pintard, former Works Minister Alfred Sears, and Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis.

Tensions ran high as MPs debated the Consumer Protection Bill 2023, which will repeal and replace the Consumer Protection Act of 2007.

Parliamentarians got into it over the hedging program and the recent report tabled by Colbey-Davis which revealed a $21m overrun at BPL resulting from the deal with Wartsila.

Pintard sought to hit back at some assertions in the report, one of them that the Wartsilla engines were not tri-fuel engines.

However, the government has repeatedly stated those engines were not tri-fuel.

Pintard’s point prompted this response from former Works Minister Alfred Sears.

Pintard also alleges that the engines were tuned for heavy fuel oil because they were the cheaper option.

He also called for a detailed account of that $21m.

Pintard also reiterated that the recent skyrocketing in power bills is due to the current administration’s failure to implement a hedging program.

The energy minister quickly hit back with this.