A public dispute over candidate eligibility has erupted on Bahamas’ Nomination Day, as Free National Movement’s Pinewood constituency hopeful Denarii Rolle pushed back against formal questions about his compliance with electoral law raised by Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain. Bain’s challenge centered on Rolle’s ongoing ties to the Water and Sewerage Corporation, a quasi-public national agency. Under Bahamian electoral rules, any person holding public or quasi-public office is required to resign their position before standing for election, and Bain argued that even contracted employees must disclose their employment status publicly no later than one month prior to the nomination period. “We have to make sure we do things by the book,” Bain stated during the Nomination Day proceedings, emphasizing the need for full adherence to electoral regulations to preserve the integrity of the race. In a direct response to the allegations, Rolle firmly rejected Bain’s claims, clarifying his current employment status meets all legal requirements for candidacy. Rolle confirmed he did previously hold a position at the Water and Sewerage Corporation, but confirmed he is currently on unpaid administrative political leave, and has not drawn a salary from the agency since the start of the campaign period. He pointed to the existing industrial agreement covering Water and Sewerage Corporation employees to back up his status, noting that the contract explicitly allows for unpaid leave for employees running for public office. The agreement also lays out clear post-election terms: if Rolle fails to win the Pinewood seat, he will have 30 days after election results are finalized to decide whether he will return to his former position at the agency. “I’ve already spoken to this on the record,” Rolle told reporters. “He can check our industrial agreement that speaks to the political leave that I’m off, I’m unpaid, so I’m not getting a salary from Water and Sewerage.” The incumbent Pinewood seat, held by the ruling Progressive Liberal Party, has drawn three candidates in the upcoming election, but sitting representative and PLP candidate Myles Laroda has declined to enter the fray over Rolle’s eligibility. Laroda told reporters his sole focus remains on building out his own campaign and connecting with constituents, rather than engaging in inter-candidate disputes over eligibility rules. “Mr Bain raised the issue,” Laroda said. “I have no comment on the other side, I’m just here to worry about the Progressive Liberal Party.” The eligibility challenge comes as Bahamian political parties finalize their slates of candidates ahead of the general election, with transparency around candidate qualifications emerging as a key talking point for smaller opposition groups seeking to shake up the country’s two-party dominated political landscape.