NASSAU, The Bahamas — East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson on Wednesday urged the Government to table its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Emera Inc. relating to the potential acquisition of Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC), arguing that the announcement was made without the level of disclosure required for Parliament and the public to properly assess its economic and financial implications.
“An MOU is not an agreement; it is a starting point,” Thompson said during the parliamentary debate, calling for transparency on the proposed structure, financing, ownership and management of the power company.
Thompson acknowledged that energy reform is critical to Grand Bahama’s economy, noting that reliable and affordable electricity underpins business growth, investment and cost-of-living relief. However, he said the Government has not explained whether it intends to purchase all GBPC assets, how maintenance and system upgrades would be funded, or how the transaction would ultimately affect electricity rates for consumers.
He also questioned how GBPC would align with the national energy strategy, particularly as Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) is moving toward reduced government control.
“The Prime Minister has spoken of Government control of the power company, yet at the same time BPL across the country is moving in the direction of less government control,” Thompson said.
Thompson noted that Government’s purchase of GBPC had been mentioned as only one possible option, raising questions about why alternative scenarios were not disclosed publicly.
“What are the other options, and why didn’t the Prime Minister mention any of these other options?” Thompson asked.
Beyond energy reform, Thompson criticized the Prime Minister’s handling of the Grand Lucayan Resort, saying the response in Parliament failed to acknowledge the immediate hardship facing workers who, at the time of the remarks, had not been paid for more than three weeks.
“Employees had not been paid for more than three weeks, yet there was no acknowledgement of their hardship, no apology,” Thompson said.
He added that ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Grand Lucayan has eroded confidence in Grand Bahama, with unanswered questions about when the property will be turned over to new owners, when renovations will begin, and whether the Government has received $120 million.
Thompson also highlighted missed timelines for the Grand Bahama International Airport redevelopment, noting that Government officials repeatedly assured the public that Phase One would be completed by the first quarter of 2025, later revised to April 2025.
“Those deadlines have passed or are clearly unattainable, and the Government has still not provided a revised completion date or a clear explanation for the delays,” he said.
According to Thompson, public scepticism in Grand Bahama is not opposition to development but a response to unmet commitments.
“Specific promises were made, repeatedly, and not kept,” he said. “When timelines shift without explanation, people stop believing what they are told.”
Prime Minister Davis said on Wednesday that the potential acquisition would mark the first time the Government of The Bahamas could control the Grand Bahama Power Company since the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. He said government ownership could allow for the introduction of uniform electricity rates nationwide, addressing what he described as long-standing disparities between Grand Bahama and the rest of the country.
