Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis assured Family Island residents that their electricity rates would continue to be subsidised by New Providence to ensure an undue financial burden is not placed on the small population centers.

The Prime Minister was speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 27 November in his contribution to the debate on the Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Bill, 2019. The Bill proposes to repeal the 2015 Act and facilitate the issuance of rate reduction bonds for Bahamas Power and Light.

“I want to remind the people in the Family Islands that the FNM (Free National Movement) made a determination to ensure that [the islands] were electrified,” the Prime Minister told MPs.

“We are one Bahamas, and [Family Island residents] can be assured that we will not abandon them.”

During the first two FNM terms in office electricity was extended to all population centres including the most remote settlements in Abaco, East Grand Bahama and the Current, Eleuthera.

Numerous settlements in Long Island and Cat Island, and Black Point, Farmers’ Cay and Staniel Cay in the Exumas were electrified for the first time. And, the southernmost and easternmost islands of The Bahamas – Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Ragged Island, Rum Cay and Mayaguana were electrified.

Prime Minister Minnis noted that if the subsidy were to be removed, electricity bills for New Providence residents would automatically decrease.

A bill of $300 would drop by $35, he said.

“Every single resident makes a contribution to subsidise [rates] in the Family Islands – St. Barnabas, Bain Town – every single resident makes a contribution to subsidize Acklins, Crooked Island, Abaco, Eleuthera, Inagua to make sure their quality of life [is not affected],” said the Prime Minister.

“We know Bahamians are prepared to make that sacrifice for their brothers and sisters in the Family Islands.” 

Prime Minister Minnis said the Progressive Liberal Party recognized the additional cost to subsidize the islands.

“We (FNM) took that challenge on because [Family Island residents] are our brothers and sisters,” said the Prime Minister. “We made that sacrifice.”

28 November 2019

Office of the Prime Minister

Commonwealth of The Bahamas