分类： politics

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.

After months of negotiations and following the expiration of the previous collective bargaining agreement in 2025, the Bahamian government has finalized a groundbreaking five-year industrial pact with the Bahamas Educators, Counsellors and Allied Workers Union (BECAWU), delivering targeted financial gains and expanded protections for the union’s 850 members working across the country’s education system. While the total projected cost of the agreement, which will remain in effect through 2030, has not yet been released to the public — with government officials noting the Ministry of Finance must complete a full audit before the final figure can be confirmed — both union and government leaders have framed the deal as a balanced win for educators and national fiscal health.

For the first time since news broke of his former employee’s major drug trafficking arrest in the United States, former Bahamas National Security Minister and Free National Movement (FNM) candidate Marvin Dames has publicly addressed the controversy, forcefully denying any connection to the smuggling scheme and pushing back against what he calls politically motivated smear efforts.

The case at the center of the controversy dates to February 11, when Malcolm Goodman, a boat captain employed by Dames and his wife, was taken into custody by U.S. law enforcement. Authorities reported finding approximately $4 million worth of cocaine aboard a vessel registered to Dames and his spouse that Goodman was operating near the coast of Florida. While Goodman has entered a not guilty plea to the drug trafficking charges to date, his legal counsel has indicated he is expected to change his plea in the coming weeks. U.S. investigators also confirmed that Goodman has admitted he acted alone in smuggling the narcotics, clearing Dames of direct involvement in the confession.

Despite the former employee’s statement clearing him, Dames has faced growing insinuation of wrongdoing from political opponents, prompting his first public remarks on the case Tuesday, shortly after filing his nomination papers for upcoming elections. Dames told reporters that he and his wife hired Goodman as an employee, not a business partner, after extending a helping hand to give the young man a chance to lift himself out of difficult circumstances. He compared the situation to lending a personal vehicle to an employee, only for that person to be caught transporting contraband without the owner’s knowledge.

“Why should I be punished for another person’s bad choices?” Dames questioned reporters. “My wife and I gave this young man an opportunity to build a better life. He chose to take the wrong path. Does that mean we are guilty by association?”

Dames confirmed he has not been contacted by any law enforcement agency for questioning in connection to the case, and has maintained his innocence consistently since the arrest became public. He noted he is currently working with authorities to recover the seized boat, which he and his wife still owe a substantial loan on. Despite the intensity of the public controversy, Dames said the scandal has not damaged his existing business relationships.

The former national security minister, who previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Police under earlier administrations, blasted what he described as paid political surrogates from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the current governing party, for spreading false narratives about his involvement to sway voter opinion ahead of the upcoming election. Dames challenged his accusers to present any concrete evidence of wrongdoing, noting he is prepared to produce full documentation to prove his innocence.

“I have never been the subject of any criminal investigation in my entire career,” Dames emphasized. “I have spent my career taking bad guys off the streets, not working with them. I can travel freely anywhere in the world, a privilege that some sitting politicians in this country cannot claim today.”

Dames also called out local media for focusing on his tangential connection to the case, rather than highlighting what he argues are more pressing public safety issues: known drug traffickers and convicted criminals who currently hold active police-issued concealed carry permits in the country and walk free in public. He said these are the stories that journalists should be prioritizing, instead of amplifying unfounded political smears.

Despite acknowledging that the entire ordeal has been a difficult learning experience for him and his wife, Dames said the controversy will not stop him and his spouse from continuing to help young Bahamians access opportunities to improve their lives. He added he remained silent on the issue for weeks because he refused to engage with what he calls “garbage” misinformation spread for political gain.

Nomination Day for the Bahamas’ upcoming May 12 general election concluded smoothly on Wednesday, with approximately 130 candidates formally qualifying to contest 39 parliamentary seats across the nation, marked by festive political spectacle and only minor administrative hurdles.

Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson, the top election official overseeing the process, reported that the day’s proceedings unfolded largely in line with pre-planned expectations, with only limited disruptions and eligibility disputes across a small number of constituencies. No nomination applications were ultimately rejected, Thompson confirmed, after election officials reviewed eligibility concerns that arose in three constituencies: Fort Charlotte, Pinewood, and Garden Hills.

“From all indications, my team carried out their responsibilities as planned, and it appears everything went off without major issues,” Thompson told reporters. “All candidates who met the formal requirements were able to secure their nomination. Every aspiring candidate submitted the necessary documentation, which was approved by returning officers in their respective constituencies.”

While official final vote tallies were still being consolidated from remote Family Islands polling districts, early projections put the total number of nominees at roughly 130 across all 41 constituencies. Thompson noted that the final count deviated from preliminary projections in two key ways: the number of independent candidates was lower than anticipated, and one expected minor party ultimately failed to put forward any nominees.

To secure a spot on the ballot, all candidates were required to submit formal nomination papers, complete mandatory declarations of personal assets and liabilities, and provide additional supporting documentation tailored to their individual eligibility circumstances. Thompson confirmed that several constituencies will see as many as five candidates on the ballot, though a full breakdown of party affiliations per constituency has not yet been released.

With the nomination process finalized, the Parliamentary Registration Department has shifted its operational focus to preparing for the advance poll, while all candidates’ public asset and liability disclosures are scheduled to be published within two business days. A total of just over 206,000 registered voters are eligible to cast ballots in the election.

Across New Providence and the Family Islands, the formal administrative process was paired with boisterous political celebration, as candidates arrived at nomination centers accompanied by large supporter entourages, blaring vehicle horns, and traditional Junkanoo musical groups that set a festive tone across the country.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, leader of the incumbent Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), was among the high-profile candidates formally nominated on Wednesday, confirming his eighth consecutive run for office representing the constituency of Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador. Davis said he felt “exhilarated” to enter the race, and praised the PLP’s full slate of candidates as a unified bloc that balances experienced incumbents with new young political talent.

“It is a great honour to renew my commitment to serving the people of Cat Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador,” Davis said after completing his nomination. “Growing up on Cat Island shaped who I am, and it remains a privilege to work every day for real change in these communities.”

On Grand Bahama Island, Michael Pintard, leader of the opposition Free National Movement (FNM), secured his nomination for the Marco City constituency, arriving at the Belinda Wilson Convention Centre at the head of a large procession led by a decorated campaign truck and hundreds of cheering supporters.

“I am humbled by the support we are getting from people of Marco City and from the people of Grand Bahama,” Pintard said. “Today, we are happy to get over the formalities of being nominated, and now it’s back to work on the campaign trail. We are optimistic, and we know by the grace of God, on the evening of May 12, we will be the next government.”

Pintard, who has held the Marco City seat since 2017 and won re-election in 2021, added that the FNM remains fully unified and prepared for what he described as an intensive, hard-fought campaign schedule leading up to election day.

The Killarney constituency drew some of the day’s biggest media and voter attention, thanks to a crowded ballot that includes former FNM Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis running as an independent candidate. Minnis confirmed his nomination on Wednesday, which also marked his birthday. His decision to run as an independent automatically disqualified him from the FNM, though he was not expelled from the party. “This same photo you’re taking today will be in the history books,” Minnis said. “Never before in the history of The Bahamas has a prime minister who led his party to the greatest victory in recorded history run as an independent after leaving that party.” Minnis said his independent campaign will center on amplifying the voices of ordinary voters, rather than advancing the priorities of any established political party.

Minnis will face off against FNM nominee Michela Barnett-Ellis, who arrived at the Gambier Primary School nomination center with dozens of red-clad supporters, including her father, former Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett. “The constituency is ready for a new chapter,” Barnett-Ellis said. PLP candidate Robyn Lynes is also in the race for Killarney, earning a public endorsement from former Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling, who appeared alongside Lynes at her nomination. “I support the woman,” Dame Marguerite said. “I think she is just so worthy, and I’ll do whatever I can to help see that she wins this seat.”

For some first-time candidates, the nomination process was a deeply personal milestone. PLP Marco City candidate Eddie Whan, who said he had previously turned down requests to run for the seat nine times, called the moment “a feeling I can’t explain.”

Assistant Parliamentary Commissioner Denise Pinder confirmed that 16 candidates were nominated across Grand Bahama, with three contenders in most constituencies and four candidates contesting the Pineridge seat. Pinder said the process on the island went entirely smoothly, with all candidates submitting the required documentation without issue.

The only public dispute of the day came from Lincoln Bain, leader of the Coalition of Independents, who raised questions about the eligibility of Fort Charlotte independent candidate Sebas Bastian, alleging Bastian held undisclosed government contracts that would bar him from running. Bastian rejected Bain’s allegations outright.

In a tense, rare face-to-face meeting with a political reporter on the eve of the Bahamas’ upcoming general election, sitting Mount Moriah MP McKell Bonaby has stonewalled all questions about the controversial Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority, as growing public outrage builds over the agency’s repeated, unaccountable overspending of public funds.

Bonaby, who filed his official nomination papers to seek re-election at Nassau’s Government High School while surrounded by cheering supporters from his Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), deflected all attempts at questioning about the spending scandal. Framing the nomination day as a unifying, optimistic moment for his campaign, he declined to address any questions about the parks authority, cutting off the interview abruptly. After stating “no further questions”, Bonaby walked away from the reporter, raising his hand in the PLP’s iconic three-finger gesture and shouting the party’s slogan.

Scrutiny of the public parks agency intensified dramatically this week, after local outlet The Nassau Guardian published an investigation exposing consistent budget overruns with no clear documentation of how allocated public funds have been spent. According to the outlet’s analysis of official budget documents, the agency spent $24.6 million in the 2021/2022 fiscal year – nearly 62 percent over its original $15.2 million budget. For the 2023/2024 fiscal cycle, overspending grew even larger: the agency expended more than $33 million against a $24 million approved budget. Total public allocations to the authority through December 2025 exceed $141 million, according to official budget projections.

The Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority is tasked with managing and maintaining more than 220 public parks across New Providence, alongside public beaches, roadside green spaces, and public verges. As far back as last year, local residents and officials already raised widespread concerns about the deteriorating condition of many of these public facilities, a gap that has drawn even more attention amid revelations of massive overspending.

This is not the first time Bonaby has been pressed for transparency on the agency. Previously, the MP pledged to deliver full public accountability, promising a complete public accounting of all financial activity at the parks and beaches authority. To date, that promise has never been fulfilled.

Additional reporting from The Tribune this week has also revealed that Bonaby, who routinely ignores calls and messages from press inquiries, ranks among the most absent sitting members of parliament since the Davis administration took power in 2021. Official records show he has missed 52 sittings of the House of Assembly, attending just 73.2 percent of all scheduled parliamentary sessions.

Marvin Dames, Bonaby’s opposition challenger for the Mount Moriah seat, slammed the sitting MP’s refusal to address the spending scandal, saying the complete lack of accountability raises grave red flags for voters and that the Bahamian public has been failed by Bonaby’s leadership.