Union: $100K paid in cash

The Nassau Guardian

Mario’s Bowling and Family Entertainment Palace’s $100,000 payment to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) to bring down its nearly $200,000 balance was made in cash, Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) President Paul Maynard claimed yesterday.

This claim directly contradicts a statement made by BEC Executive Chairman Leslie Miller that the payment was made by cashier’s check.

Maynard said a cashier and supervisor from BEC’s post office location were reprimanded yesterday for accepting the $100,000 cash payment.

He said the employees were not aware that the corporation does not accept cash payments over $10,000.

“If that is the policy, then BEC needs to send that policy to the union as they are supposed to do and we will pass it on to our members,” Maynard said.

“Listen, cashiers are not going to take the flack for this.

“What Mr. Miller does is his business. It does not make a difference to me what the deal is. The point is you are not going to pick on the small people.”

Antionette Turnquest, BEC’s assistant general manager for administration, said last night she could not confirm any specific matters related to the payment.

While she did not speak to how the payment was made or how much was paid, Turnquest confirmed that the cashiers were called to a meeting. However, she stressed they were not disciplined.

“There was a meeting with cashiers. They were reminded of BEC’s policy with respect to cash collections, but there was no disciplinary action meted out,” she said.

“As far as I am aware, there is no plan for disciplinary action.”

Turnquest said, “The policy is that they are not supposed to accept more than $10,000 cash.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Mario’s said, “Mario’s Bowling & Family Entertainment Palace, along with Summer Winds Company Ltd., has made a payment of $100,000 towards the balance of our utility bill.

“With this substantial payment, we expect to bring our balance down and have it paid in the shortest amount of time possible.”

Before the statement was issued, Miller said his daughters, the managing directors of Mario’s, informed him that they made a partial payment on the company’s bill via cashier’s check in the amount of $100,000.

When contacted for comment yesterday, Mario’s Director of Marketing Leslia Miller-Brice said, “We have nothing to say on the matter.”

Pressed for a response about the cash payment, Miller-Brice hung up the phone.

When The Guardian questioned Miller on the matter in the foyer of the House of Assembly yesterday, he refused to give any specifics on the matter.

“This done dead,” Miller said. “You get pay, you get pay. I wish someone would come and pay me. I would love that.”

When pressed, Miller said he had nothing else to say.

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis was also asked about the reported cash payment.

“Obviously he recognizes that it serves him well to settle his accounts,” he said outside the House of Assembly.

“When I spoke, he had indicated to me that he had already made arrangements to settle the whole debt.

“The manner and method in which he was to do it did not include that (paying with cash), but I am happy to see that such a large amount was paid towards the bill,” said Davis, the minister responsible for BEC.

Asked to confirm whether the payment was made in cash, Davis said, “I don’t know how it was paid. I just know $100,000 was paid.”

As has been widely reported this week, BEC records obtained by The Guardian showed that a Harrold Road building registered with BEC in Miller’s name owed the corporation $46,373.77 as of Monday.

Those records also showed that a Harrold Road bowling alley, owned by Summer Winds Investments Company Ltd., owed the corporation $193,159.56, as of Monday.

The BEWU and its umbrella union have called for Miller’s resignation over his and his family-owned business’ arrears.

Miller has said he has no intention of stepping down as executive chairman, and will instead remain focused on the affairs of the corporation.

Maynard added that the issues involving the unions and Miller, which have played out in the media, are “nothing personal”.

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