Prime Minister Philip Davis is defending Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis against criticism that she has been largely silent amid the country’s ongoing power crisis.
Davis was pressed on the criticism following his national address on Monday night, during which he outlined the challenges facing Bahamas Power and Light, including aging infrastructure inherited by his administration, while detailing the government’s plans for energy reform.
Asked whether the Energy Minister should be more vocal as residents continue to endure frequent power outages, Davis made it clear that he accepts responsibility for the government’s handling of the crisis.
“The buck stops here. That’s the answer you’ll give to those who are concerned about whether she is quiet or not,” Davis said.
During his national address, Davis acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and outlined the government’s strategy to modernize the country’s energy infrastructure and address longstanding challenges at BPL.
When questioned about the recent outages affecting several islands, Davis pointed to the issues already addressed in his national address.
“I gave a national address on the subject matter. I laid out what I perceive to be the issues and they will be dealt with,” he said.
Davis says his administration is focused on implementing the necessary reforms to stabilize the power system and provide more reliable electricity to consumers.
