A political controversy has erupted in the Bahamas following last week’s fatal shooting of prominent businessman Warren “Spy” Ellis, a figure long dogged by serious criminal accusations. Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has publicly pressed Prime Minister Philip Davis to release a clear, definitive answer on whether his ruling administration granted any government housing contracts to Ellis or business entities under his control.
In an official statement released this week, the Ministry of Housing and Land Reform announced it had concluded a full audit of all contracting records dating back to the Davis administration’s inauguration. The review confirmed no official documentation exists showing Ellis, nor any company linked to his ownership or direct control, was awarded any housing development contract through the ministry. The ministry also used the statement to highlight the government’s progress on its housing agenda, noting the current administration has expanded the national housing programme since taking office, boosted private sector engagement, and partnered exclusively with Bahamian contractors to deliver new homes to qualified families across Abaco, New Providence and the country’s outlying Family Islands, with dozens more projects currently in development.
Despite the ministry’s findings, key questions about Ellis’ alleged ties to government work remain unresolved. The statement did not address Pintard’s separate inquiry into unconfirmed reports that Ellis or his associates were contracted to demolish hurricane-damaged dome structures in Abaco and carry out final evictions of remaining residents from the site. Unidentified well-placed industry sources have previously connected Ellis to a 2022 housing construction project in Central Pines, Abaco, and multiple anonymous construction workers have confirmed they were employed by Ellis on that development, though none have agreed to comment further on the arrangement. Housing Minister Keith Bell confirmed last week he would launch an internal review of the claims and share updates with local media outlet The Tribune once completed.
Pintard has doubled down on his calls for full transparency, reiterating in his own statement that the Prime Minister must address the public’s concerns directly. “Just answer the question, Prime Minister. Did you and your government give housing contracts to the recently slain Warren ‘Spy’ Ellis?” Pintard said. He drew a parallel between the Ellis allegations and a prior controversial government decision to award housing contracts to Eric “Player” Gardiner, a convicted drug offender who was arrested in May on new charges of cocaine trafficking and firearms conspiracy linked to a years-long cross-border smuggling operation alleged by U.S. prosecutors. Pintard questioned why Davis has appeared defensive on the issue, stressing that the claims demand accountability to protect public funds. “These are serious matters, Prime Minister,” he said. “Bahamian taxpayer funds must never serve as a vehicle for potential money laundering or the enrichment of people involved in illegality.”
Addressing the demolition contract claims specifically, Pintard noted that when the opposition Free National Movement (FNM) traveled to Abaco to protest the planned evictions, no official government agency representatives were present at the site—only contractors hired to remove the remaining domes that still housed families resisting displacement. “Tell the truth, and shame the devil,” he added.
When reporters first brought the allegations to Prime Minister Davis late last week, he dismissed the claims as unsubstantiated, pushed back against the line of questioning, and called on journalists to provide proof to back up their inquiries. “What is the factual basis to answer that question?” Davis asked. “Tell me where you got that information, and I will deal with it.” Expressing clear frustration with the press focus on the controversy, he added, “I am tired of these allegations, man. Why don’t y’all ask me about how Upskill Bahamas is impacting people, why don’t you ask me about how the Food Breakfast programme is assisting our people; why don’t you ask me about some initiatives that we have,”