NASSAU, BAHAMAS— The opposition Free National Movement is blasting the Davis Administration over what it calls the “apparent collapse” of the Island Grid/Pike Corporation arrangement tied to Bahamas Power and Light’s New Providence transmission and distribution system, saying the government is attempting to “hide and gloss over” the failure of a key energy reform initiative.
Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said in a statement that the development is further evidence that the government’s promised energy reforms are “in shambles,” arguing that the arrangement was structured from the outset to benefit a select few under a “no-bid sweetheart deal.”
“It is beyond insulting to the Bahamian people that the Davis Administration is trying to hide and gloss over the apparent collapse of their ill-fated privatization of BPL’s New Providence Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Grid,” Pintard said.
He added that the Bahamian people, who retain a reported 40 percent stake in Bahamas Grid, have been left without answers regarding what led to the breakdown of the 25-year arrangement involving Island Grid and Pike Corporation.
“We are advised that this deal has apparently collapsed all the way back on or about March 23rd,” Pintard said, questioning when government officials became aware of Pike’s withdrawal and whether proper disclosure was made to the public and Parliament.
Pintard also raised concerns about possible payment delays, management disputes, and the integrity of the agreement, while demanding clarity on ownership stakes, financial implications, and whether any contractual breach triggered exit clauses.
“We will have more to say on this as we continue to uncover the facts for the Bahamian people,” he added.
The exit of Island Grid from the Bahamas Grid Company arrangement is being presented by government officials as a routine transition, but Eyewitness News understands the split followed growing strain behind the scenes.
Government sources say the relationship between key partners had become increasingly strained, with disagreements over project management contributing to Island Grid’s departure from its management role. Those sources reject claims that issues involving Pike Corporation workers or Bahamas Power and Light staff triggered the split, insisting the broader energy reform agenda remains intact.
However, persons familiar with the project say challenges had been building for months, including staffing gaps from the failure to fully transition experienced Bahamas Power and Light employees into the Bahamas Grid Company structure as originally planned. That gap left the project more dependent on foreign technical teams and contractors, increasing costs and operational pressure.
President of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Managerial Union, Chris Hanna, told Eyewitness News he has not received any formal communication from Bahamas Power and Light or the government regarding Island Grid’s exit or the transition process.
“I have not been contacted by BPL on the situation. I only heard it was in the papers, but I have not received any official word from the company,” Hanna said.
He added that the majority of BPL workers had not transitioned to The Bahamas Grid Company as originally intended and said the union has not been formally engaged on the current state of affairs.
There were also reported delays in government payments, which sources say created cash flow strain in a project dependent on steady funding for equipment, logistics, and manpower.
At the same time, questions remain around the planned transfer of transmission and distribution assets into Bahamas Grid Company, part of the government’s equity stake. Sources say that process slowed due to existing financial obligations tied to the assets, preventing full completion of the structure as intended.
Eyewitness News is also told internal tensions escalated as project leaders clashed over the way forward, with one source describing the working relationship as increasingly difficult in the weeks leading up to the split.
Separately, the project was disrupted following the fatal shooting of a Pike Corporation employee earlier this year. While government sources say the incident is not linked to the management change, it has been cited as part of broader operational challenges.
With Island Grid now out, Bahamas Grid Company has moved to a fully Bahamian-led leadership structure, with officials expressing confidence that the project remains viable and adequately resourced.
