B.E.L. restructures its management
Belize Electricity Limited announced this week that it has reorganized its management structure. Lynn Young, who has been with B.E.L. for the past fourteen years, is the new Chief Executive Officer, replacing Luis Lue who retired at the end of December. According to Young, a study of the company’s needs recommended separating the financial and administrative functions from the technical ones. As a result Fernando Coye, a twenty-seven year old veteran of B.E.L. is now the Chief Operating Officer. A new division has also been created: the Business Development Department, which will be headed by Michael Polonio. C.E.O. Lynn Young told News Five the restructuring is intended to make B.E.L. much more service oriented than it has been in the past. We also asked him about the possibility of reduced rates with the appointment of a government utilities regulatory commission.
Lynn Young, Chief Executive Officer, B.E.L.
“We have already met with the government; we have looked at the draft of the new regulatory system that they want to put in place and we have given them our comments and I know that they are working full steam in getting that in place. That commission by the way, I know a lot of people are asking well what about the utility rates, the political parties have always campaigned that they will try to reduce rates, I assure you that we are doing our best to try to reduce our costs because whatever reduction that we can achieve will always be passed on to our customers. We have always done that. So more than likely what will happen when this commission is in place it will look at our new cost structure, savings which have been realized, the government will ask us to pass it on to customers and I suppose that as long as we are meeting the level that we need to meet to pay our cost of capita then that will happen.”
Chief Operating Officer Fernando Coye, who is in charge of the technical aspects such as transmission, distribution, and generating, says Belize is now getting a very reliable supply of electricity with power being supplied to the national grid from three sources: Mexico, the Hydro Electric Plant and the diesel plants. He says B.E.L., which just inaugurated its submarine line to San Pedro Ambergris Caye, is also looking at future projects for several areas of Belize.
Fernando Coye, Chief Operating Officer, B.E.L.
“We are looking at interconnecting as much as possible the other areas. In fact we have hooked up as far as Dangriga. We are looking at the capability to go as far as Independence. At this time it might really be too much to look at going to P.G., right. It all depends on economic viability of the systems, right. But we are looking at that. Even someday we will look at interconnecting from San Pedro to Caye Caulker. And also we are looking at the possibility in the near future to extend the lines to Sarteneja. So we are looking to establish a grid countrywide.”
B.E.L. is also looking to establish larger clients countrywide. Michael Polonio, who heads the new Business Development Department, says if B.E.L. can broaden its base of larger clients, such as manufacturers and housing developers, this will eventually mean B.E.L. can afford to lower rates to household consumers. But Polonio says seeking out the larger consumers of electricity will also have an impact on local investment.
Michael Polonio, Head, Business Development Dept., B.E.L.
“An additional difference in our focus from let’s say customs services which deals with the more day to day needs building, connection, the reconnection that sort of thing. We want to work with not only private individuals and agencies but also government agencies that are promoting Belize as a place of capital investment. We want to give them information regarding our capabilities. We don’t want new developers to see Belize as a place that they must bring their energy supply with them for a new project. That’s our business; we can do it better than anybody else and at a higher quality and cost; we have the experience.”
B.E.L. has also chosen a new Manager for the Customer Services Department, Eugene Cleland.
