Ivar Unhgem, proprietor of Scandi Homes & Scandi Woodworks in Marsh Harbour, Abaco yesterday told the Bahama Journal that his business suffered a power outage from 11am to 4:30pm Thursday, which he said is generally “an everyday occurrence.”
“It is a disaster. It is bad. When the power goes out we have to shut down. And we cannot get any information from BEC as to whatﾒs going on or how long the power would be out. If they would only do this, we would be able to plan accordingly,” Mr. Unhgem said.
“But my people are now sitting down talking. They canﾒt do anything. So, I would presume that I am losing hundreds of dollars a dayﾅ. People have started having problems with their freezers and refrigerators and so this is really is a problem. And we have a lot of tourists here who are basically packing up and leaving to go back home because they just cannot deal with it.”
Opposition Leader and Member of Parliament for North Abaco Hubert Ingraham drew attention to the issue in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
At the time, the former prime minister bashed the government for what he called the sorry state of electricity on that island.
He went as far as to charge that it would appear that those in authority have no contingency plan to address the problem.
At the time, he pointed out that the two principal electrical generators were both down, one with “very serious problems,” which could take upwards of two weeks to resolve.
“The Member of Parliament for South Abaco and many others in Abaco are suffering,” he said.
“The problem appears to center on poor maintenance and upkeep. I am told that two mechanics/engineers were flown to Abaco from Nassau on Tuesday,” Mr. Ingraham said.
The Opposition Leader said he was further informed that the small generating engines, which had been leased and subsequently purchased from Caterpillar to support the principal generators on Abaco, are “grossly inadequate for the job.”
The stand-by generator on Green Turtle Cay was also said to be down at the time, leaving residents there to suffer from frequent power outages.
“This is a particularly bad time for electrical outages in Abaco as the summer temperatures begin to reach maximum levels. These temperatures are not only inconvenient to local businesses and residents but also to the large number of second home owners and guests of Abacoﾒs resorts,” Mr. Ingraham charged.
“This past holiday weekend would have been a bonanza for tourist facilities in Abaco with all resorts filled to capacity.”
Mr. Ingraham further claimed that BEC on Abaco was apparently suffering a “chronic shortage.”
“While individuals were interviewed late last year with a view to fill vacancies for mechanics, to date no new employees have been placed on the ground in Abaco,” he said.
“ﾅI call upon, indeed beseech all those in authority to do all that they can to restore power to the island of Abaco and to bring a modicum of relief to the all the suffering residents of my home island.
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Energy & Environment Ron Pinder has assured that while he is aware of the situation, the ministry will provide a full statement as well as “answer in detail” some of the other issues the former prime minister raised, but all at the appropriate time.
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
