During his national address on Monday, Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis addressed the recently revealed controversial overtime payments at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL). It was reported that three BPL workers shared approximately $600,000 in overtime payments and that the total overtime payments at the company were up to $20 million.

Bahamas Electrical Workers Union President Kyle Wilson responded to the Prime Minister’s remarks on Tuesday. He told reporters, “he’s saying there’s an increase in overtime, well, the staffing levels when I became president back in 2020 was about 400 to about 500, now we’re up to like maybe 1,400. And so you’re asking why the overtime doubled? Over the course of my leadership I would have gotten better concessions for the membership in terms of salaries and benefits so all of that would contribute. So why is it that you’re surprised now concerning overtime.”

Mr. Davis announced several changes to overtime policy at BPL during his speech that Wilson says would have to be discussed with the union before they can be implemented. “It is very, very aggravating because no one is coming, sitting down with the unions. We have clauses in there, clause 18 to say that if you want to change a term and condition of the industrial agreement you sit down with the union and we work it out. We’ve always been sitting down. We’ve always been working it out. We’re always willing to come to the tables,” Wilson said.