Bahamas News

Proposed Restructuring/Redistribution of Responsibilities at BPL Could Result in Savings of More than $3 Million

Published

7 years ago

November 2, 2017

#Bahamas, November 2, 2017 – Nassau – A proposed organizational restructuring of The Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) Company and a redistribution of responsibilities could lead to savings in excess of $3 million while also resulting in the advancement of seven Bahamians to key senior positions within the company. Mr. Anthony Newbold, Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, said the proposed restructuring is also expected to “effect the required changes within the Corporation.”

The announcement comes on the heels of a presentation made by the newly appointed Board of Directors of The Bahamas Power and Light Company to Cabinet on the status of the company and the Board’s plans for the utility company going forward. Board Chairperson, Ms. Darnelle Osbourne; Deputy Chairman, Mr. Patrick Rollins and Board Members Mr. Whitney Heastie, Mr. Deepak Bhatnagar, Mr. Ferron Bethel and Ms. Nicola Thompson were in attendance. (Mr. Heastie has been appointed C.E.O. Ms. Christina Alston is the C.O.O)

Board members spoke to various aspects of BPL’s proposed Business Plan. The proposed new organizational structure will to be administered by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a Chief Operating Officer (COO) and a Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Directors will be appointed under the COO portfolio and will be responsible for Generation Services, Transmission and Distribution, Family Island Operations, Technical Planning/Renewables and Procurement/Supply Chain.

“An additional five Directors with responsibility for Customer Service, Security/Investigations, Human Resources and Internal Communications, Health, Safety and Environment, and Information Technology, would report to the Chief Financial Officer. Some of those posts will be advertised,” Mr. Newbold said Tuesday (October 31, 2017) during his weekly Press Briefing held at the Office of the Prime Minister, Cecil Wallace Whitfield Centre.

“The redistribution of responsibilities would replace three expatriate employees with seven Bahamian employees at savings of $3.3 million. International benchmarks were followed in formulating that structure,” Press Secretary Newbold added.

Mr. Newbold said the Board of Directors of BPL have been meeting up to twice weekly for the past three months in developing a new plan for BPL and “had given much time and consideration in formulating plans to improve the management of the company.”

“The new Board was resolute and committed to managing the Corporation as a business and the plan proposed by the new BPL Board would restructure the organization to effectively manage the Corporation’s finances and assets.

“Towards that end, BPL Board Members anticipate that the plans to effect required changes within the Corporation would be implemented in the shortest possible time,” Mr. Newbold added.

Press Secretary Newbold said the Members of the Board also addressed short and long-term transmission and generation requirements.

“One of the goals of the BPL Board was to implement an automated meter system. However, many of the meters were antiquated. The Plan was to commence and advanced meter reading system. The Board is also dealing with outstanding financial concerns.”

Mr. Newbold reported that the BPL Board will investigate the environmental issues at the Clifton Power Plant to determine the magnitude of the problem before deciding how it would be addressed and at what cost.

“The BPL Board also recommended to the Cabinet, the need to amend the Electricity Act, the Rate Reduction Act and the Articles of Association document which became necessary as a result of new developments within BPL. An updated Business Plan is expected to be completed by October 31, 2017,” Press Secretary Newbold added.

Press Release: BIS

Bahamas News

Bahamas economic growth

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

The Bahamas’ economy is in good standing according to reports from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute which released the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Series. They indicate that quarterly GDP trends for 2023 saw increases compared to 2022, a sign of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

The most significant increase was 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and the industries responsible for the growth include Accommodations and food, construction and Arts.

Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.

Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

Published

4 days ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.”

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”