标签： Bahamas

As the Bahamas approaches its upcoming general election, a scheduled lump-sum payment to hundreds of utility workers has ignited public debate over its timing and potential political motivations, with union leadership pushing back firmly against claims of improper political maneuvering.

Kyle Wilson, president of the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), confirmed last week that more than 800 junior line staff employed by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) received a one-time $3,500 cost of living supplement, a benefit explicitly outlined in the union’s existing industrial agreement with the power provider. Speaking to The Tribune, Wilson emphasized that the payout structure was finalized through collective bargaining more than 18 months before the election was called, and the timeline for disbursement aligns with the contractual schedule laid out years in advance.

“This is a contractual entitlement for our members, it has no connection to electoral politics whatsoever,” Wilson stated. “It is purely a coincidence that the scheduled payment date falls just days before the general election. There is no political angle to this at all.” He also clarified that all funds for the supplement come directly from BPL’s operating budget, rather than being drawn from government public coffers.

The timing of the payouts has attracted increased public and media scrutiny, coming on the heels of a controversial decision by the incumbent Davis administration to erase outstanding residential electricity bills for customers on Grand Cay and Moore’s Island. The government has framed that move as a correction of longstanding billing errors that emerged in the wake of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic, but political observers have questioned whether the series of financial benefits for voters are timed to sway electoral support.

Wilson pushed back against these insinuations, accusing political commentators and critics of attempting to politicize a routine internal labor matter. He noted that BPL has a long history of issuing similar cost-of-living lump-sum payments to union employees, meaning the current disbursement is neither unusual nor without precedent.

“Everything is amplified in the lead-up to an election,” Wilson explained. “Opponents and commentators will try to twist any development to score political points, but this is strictly an internal issue between BPL and its unionized workforce. This has nothing to do with the election, in any shape or form.”

Wilson expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the collective bargaining process, noting that the agreement strikes a fair balance for both workers and the utility. He also praised BPL management for sustaining stable, productive labor relations over the past several years, adding that there have been no major work stoppages, union-led demonstrations, or disputes escalated to the national Labour Board during that tenure.

He specifically credited BPL Chief Executive Officer Toni Pratt with fostering a collaborative negotiating environment, which allowed the company and union to reach an amicable agreement that protects worker benefits while supporting the company’s goal of delivering reliable electrical service to Bahamian consumers across the country. Wilson added that the union remains committed to holding up its end of the agreement by supporting workers in delivering high-quality service to the public.

With the Bahamas’ general election just days away, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis made a forceful closing pitch to voters in Grand Bahama’s Pineridge community Thursday, framing the upcoming ballot as a defining choice between sustained forward momentum and a return to past stagnation, while sharply critiquing the opposition Free National Movement (FNM)’s record in office.

Addressing a crowd of energized Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters, Davis positioned the May 12 vote as one of the most consequential national decisions in modern Bahamian history. He framed the contest as a clear binary: voters can either extend the PLP’s four-and-a-half-year term to build on the progress the administration has delivered, or “hit reset” by elevating the FNM led by Opposition Leader Michael Pintard, a outcome Davis argues would reverse recent gains.

Looking back at Grand Bahama’s history as a dynamic economic hub for the Bahamas, Davis acknowledged that repeated hurricane strikes and years of cumulative hardship had eroded the island’s economic vitality and community confidence. Under the current PLP administration, he argued, targeted large-scale infrastructure projects and policy reforms have laid the groundwork for a robust, long-term recovery.

A centerpiece of Davis’ address was the recent government acquisition of the Grand Bahama Power Company, a move he called a historic turning point for the island. The acquisition, he explained, is designed to cut burdensome electricity costs for residential and commercial consumers while aligning Grand Bahama’s energy infrastructure with national energy reform efforts. Beyond lower costs, Davis said the restructured system will open new professional opportunities for Bahamian engineers, technicians, and other energy sector workers. He slammed the FNM for opposing the acquisition, noting the opposition failed to address the island’s long-running high energy cost crisis when it held power.

Davis also pushed back against criticism of his administration’s handling of long-running disputes with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, accusing previous governments of allowing the entity to avoid accountability for years while Grand Bahama’s economy stagnated. Under the PLP, he said, the government has launched legal action to formalize and enforce the Port Authority’s obligations to the island and the nation, pledging that the second phase of arbitration will secure required annual payments and outstanding arrears owed to the public.

Outlining his agenda for a second term, Davis vowed to advance the government’s signature major development projects across Grand Bahama, including the long-awaited Freeport Health Campus, full redevelopment of Grand Bahama International Airport, and the revitalization of the Grand Lucayan resort.

Turning to national economic performance, Davis pushed back against FNM claims that the Bahamian economy is in disarray, pointing to recent consecutive credit rating upgrades from leading international agencies including Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch as independent proof of the country’s positive trajectory. He noted the two back-to-back upgrades in a single fiscal year mark a milestone not achieved in more than two decades, arguing that global financial analysts would not issue positive assessments if the economy were truly struggling, as the opposition claims.

Davis also addressed public criticism of the administration’s immigration policies and government travel spending, asserting that the PLP has strengthened border enforcement while forging global investment partnerships that have brought billions of dollars in new capital to the Bahamas.

Warned against voter complacency despite high turnout for PLP campaign events, Davis urged every supporter to turn out at the polls on election day, stressing that the progress the administration has delivered can only continue if voters actively choose to protect it at the ballot box.

Other top PLP figures joined Davis in hitting the campaign trail in Grand Bahama, echoing his call for voters to choose continuity and progress. Kingsley Smith, the PLP candidate for West Grand Bahama, delivered a fiery defense of the Davis administration’s record, contrasting the PLP’s delivery of major projects with the FNM’s term between 2017 and 2021, when the opposition held all five Grand Bahama parliamentary seats – all of which earned cabinet positions – including that of current Opposition Leader Pintard.

“Five cabinet seats, zero deliveries. That is the FNM record on Grand Bahama,” Smith told the crowd, arguing that even with full cabinet representation, the FNM failed to advance any of the island’s top priorities: no new airport development, no upgraded healthcare facilities, no resort revitalization, and no action to acquire the power company and lower energy costs. Smith credited the Davis administration with moving forward on every one of these stalled priorities in less than a full term, framing the PLP as the only party with a clear vision for Grand Bahama’s future. He called Davis the strongest advocate for Grand Bahama of any modern prime minister, urging supporters to stand united behind the government and vote for progress.

Pineridge MP Ginger Moxey echoed that framing, attributing Grand Bahama’s ongoing economic recovery and redevelopment momentum directly to the Davis administration’s policies. She highlighted the Grand Bahama Power Company acquisition as a transformative step that will cut energy costs for residents, businesses, churches, and schools across the island, while also pointing to other new projects already underway including the MSC cruise port, a major new development at Xanadu Beach, and the upcoming Afro-Caribbean Marketplace. Moxey framed the election as a clear choice: “forward with progress and strength or backwards” with the FNM.

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper closed out the rally’s messaging, stressing that continued progress depends on PLP re-election. He called the May 12 vote a “generational milestone,” noting that the PLP has delivered tangible economic gains including the historic credit rating upgrades, record tourism growth, billions in new investment across Grand Bahama, and a pipeline of infrastructure and redevelopment projects. Cooper emphasized that the Davis administration has shown unprecedented political courage in confronting long-unresolved issues with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and high energy costs, issues previous administrations avoided for decades. He repeatedly urged voters, especially young voters, not to derail Grand Bahama’s growing economic momentum by voting out the incumbent government, warning that an FNM victory would put all ongoing progress and planned investments at risk, and urging voters to “protect their progress” at the polls.

One of the Bahamas’ most iconic political figures, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, has reversed a long-held personal decision to stay out of the upcoming general election’s campaign trail, emerging at a recent Free National Movement (FNM) rally to publicly oppose incumbent Prime Minister Philip Davis’ bid for a second term. His change of heart stems from deep concerns over the future trajectory of the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the potential ascent of PLP Fort Charlotte candidate Sebas Bastian to the nation’s highest office.

In his remarks to energized FNM supporters on Wednesday night, Ingraham acknowledged that he had no initial plans to campaign against Davis, noting a personal friendship with the incumbent that transcends partisan divides. “Brave is my friend. We are on different teams, so we never vote for each other,” Ingraham explained, emphasizing that his original plan was to remain on the sidelines during Davis’ re-election race. That neutral stance shifted entirely when he considered what a second Davis administration could mean for Bastian’s political career, he added.

Ingraham warned voters that a win for Bastian in the hotly contested Fort Charlotte constituency would put the PLP candidate on a clear path to the prime minister’s office. To block that outcome, he urged local voters to throw their support behind FNM candidate Travis Robinson in the key race. “If you want to make sure Sebas doesn’t become your prime minister, stop him in Fort Charlotte,” Ingraham argued.

The former prime minister also hit Bastian over his partisan political history, pointing out that Bastian was once a member of the FNM before defecting to the PLP. He told Fort Charlotte voters that any candidate claiming ongoing ties to the FNM should be rejected at the polls, going on to question Davis’ decision to nominate Bastian in the first place. Ingraham claimed Bastian’s political rise was due to patronage from former PLP Prime Minister Perry Christie, whom Bastian has referred to as a father figure. “Perry went against the will of the people in the Bahamas and made Sebas the man he is today,” Ingraham claimed.

Drawing on a historic electoral example from the 1997 Fort Charlotte race, Ingraham pushed back against the idea that personal wealth should translate to electoral success. He recalled that FNM candidate Zhivargo Laing entered that race with just $14,000 in net worth, facing off against a millionaire opponent who reported $14 million in assets. Despite the massive financial gap, Ingraham noted, Fort Charlotte voters elected Laing and sent the wealthy challenger home, a precedent he argued should hold in 2024.

Beyond the partisan race for Fort Charlotte, Ingraham used his speech to highlight broader flaws he sees in the Bahamas’ current electoral system. He described last week’s advanced polling as “chaotic”, repeating his longstanding call for elections to be taken out of government hands and overseen by an independent, adequately funded electoral commission — a model already adopted by many other nations across the Caribbean region.

Ingraham acknowledged that some of the blame for disorganized advanced polling stemmed from poor appointment of election officials, but he framed the issue as a systemic problem of democratic governance rather than just an isolated mistake. He noted that public trust in election outcomes depends on a neutral, transparent process that all parties can believe in, a prerequisite for losers to accept results after ballots are counted. Even with his criticism of the advanced poll, Ingraham said he was heartened to see voters waiting patiently in disorganized lines to cast their ballots, calling the turnout a powerful display of democratic commitment in the Bahamas. He urged all FNM supporters to turn out on official election day, May 12, and remain in line to vote no matter how long the wait.

Ingraham also called for sweeping modernization of the country’s voting infrastructure, saying he hoped the 2024 election would be the last time Bahamian voters are required to carry paper voter cards. He noted that even many developing countries — including fellow Caribbean nation Haiti — have already transitioned to more secure biometric voting identification, and that the Bahamas’ reliance on paper cards puts it far behind global standards. Ingraham recalled that his own administration first attempted to pass electoral reform and introduce biometric identification more than 23 years ago, with bipartisan support from the PLP at the time. The reform failed only after his government opted to put the question to a public referendum, where voters rejected the change.

The former prime minister added that he also hopes the Bahamas will eventually eliminate the outdated practice of marking voters’ fingers with ink after they cast ballots. On the topic of ballot security, he instructed FNM poll workers to closely monitor presiding officers at every polling location to ensure only one ballot is issued to each registered voter. He closed by reiterating his criticism of electoral mismanagement, pointing to alleged irregularities at an advanced polling site that included improper ballot counting and unauthorized movement of ballot boxes without notification of all participating political parties.

One week ahead of the country’s hotly contested general election, the Bahamian government has finalized a deal to purchase all outstanding shares of the Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC), a move Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis says will deliver an average 37 percent reduction in electricity bills for residential and commercial customers across the island.

Under the terms of the acquisition, GBPC will align its pricing structure with the national tariff schedule already in use by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), bringing Grand Bahama’s electricity rates in line with what consumers pay in other regions of The Bahamas. Davis confirmed that cost savings will appear on customer bills as early as the next billing cycle.

“This decision was made with a clear purpose: to bring down the cost of electricity for the people of Grand Bahama and place this island inside our national energy strategy,” Davis told reporters. He added that the rate cut will reduce overall cost of living for local families and boost the competitiveness of Grand Bahama’s business community, supporting long-term economic growth on the island.

The government executed the acquisition through a newly created special purpose entity, the Grand Bahama Electricity Company. The transaction received full funding from loans issued by Standard Chartered and Scotiabank, with the Bahamian government serving as guarantor for the borrowing.

In addition to consumer savings, Davis outlined three core policy benefits of the move: it integrates Grand Bahama into the government’s national energy strategy, strengthening the island’s overall investment climate; it preserves all existing jobs, benefits and the current Bahamian management team at GBPC; and it lays the groundwork for GBPC to access international development support for future energy projects.

The timing of the high-profile utility acquisition, coming just days before voters head to the polls, has sparked questions about political motivations behind the announcement. Davis rejected calls to delay the reveal until after the election, arguing that governing does not pause during campaign season.

“Why do I have to defend a move?” Davis said. “Governance don’t stop because election is in the air. We still have to govern, and this transaction has been in the making for quite a while. The process just happened to be ending now. Should we abandon it when we’re going to be able to bring relief to the people of Grand Bahama immediately? We will bring relief now. I have nothing to defend, other than to say I’m bringing relief to Grand Bahama.”

For the immediate future, GBPC will continue normal operations under a transitional framework designed to avoid service disruptions while pricing structures are aligned with national standards. Over time, the utility will be gradually integrated into the government’s ongoing national energy reform program. The acquisition brings an end to Canadian energy firm Emera’s 13-year tenure as the majority owner of GBPC, after Emera first acquired a stake in the company in 2010.

Davis thanked Emera for its years of management of the utility, noting that additional details on the transitional process will be released to the public in the coming weeks. Karen Hutt, executive vice-president of corporate development for Emera in The Bahamas, framed the ownership transfer as a “watershed moment” for both the company and the island.

“This transition of ownership from Emera to the government provides a historic opportunity for Grand Bahama power and the island of Grand Bahama to play a pivotal role in the nation’s energy future under The Bahamas comprehensive and progressive national energy policy,” Hutt said.

Nikita Mullings, GBPC’s chief operating officer, reassured customers that the ownership change will not impact the utility’s core service commitments. “Today’s announcement is a big one for us here at Grand Bahama Power, but it does not change what defines us,” Mullings said. “Our commitment to safety, reliability and service excellence remains unchanged, and it does not change our shared responsibility to our customers and this community.”

Energy Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis explained that the acquisition will deliver tangible benefits to more than 17,000 households and over 1,500 small and medium-sized businesses across Grand Bahama, framing the move as a critical step toward pricing fairness and regulatory consistency across the country. For years, Grand Bahama consumers faced drastically higher electricity rates than customers in other parts of The Bahamas under the previous private ownership structure. To illustrate the gap, Coleby-Davis shared that a 495 kilowatt-hour bill in Grand Bahama’s Pineridge neighborhood cost $200.09, while the same usage on Long Island cost just $121.38 under BPL’s tariff— a difference of nearly $79, translating to a 39.3 percent savings after alignment. Similarly, a 1,424 kilowatt-hour bill in Grand Bahama’s West End cost $700.21, compared to $481.50 for the same usage in New Providence, delivering a 31.2 percent savings for local customers after the change.

The minister added that the national policy’s low-income protection, which sets a zero base rate for households using less than 200 kilowatt-hours of electricity monthly, will now extend to Grand Bahama, putting thousands of dollars in annual savings back into the pockets of vulnerable families.

Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey noted that the acquisition addresses decades of constituent complaints about unsustainably high energy costs on the island. “For too long, families and businesses have carried the weight of extremely high electricity costs,” Moxey said. “This Davis administration has heard the cry and meaningful change is here to address this vexing legacy issue, not years down the road, but with your next billing.”

Davis confirmed that the government has not yet made a decision to change GBPC’s name, and will consult local residents on any potential rebranding. He also linked the acquisition to his broader campaign promise to revitalize Freeport and Grand Bahama’s economy. “I have committed myself that while I have the ability to do it, I will try to bring back the magic to the city and I dare say we are well on the way,” Davis said.

Six years after Hurricane Dorian devastated large swathes of Abaco, leaving thousands of residents homeless and economically shattered, anger is boiling over over the Davis administration’s last-minute pre-general election decision to erase all outstanding electricity bills for residents of Grand Cay and Moore’s Island – while leaving similarly devastated mainland Abaco communities without any comparable relief.

Survivors across hard-hit mainland settlements including Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town, Spring City and Murphy Town have decried the selective relief as a transparent, insulting political gambit that ignores the ongoing suffering of thousands of Dorian survivors who have yet to recover from the 2019 storm.

Neulessa Major, a lifelong Marsh Harbour resident whose home suffered catastrophic damage during Dorian, described the unequal treatment as a slap in the face to all mainland Abaco residents still picking up the pieces. Her $55,000 home roof was completely destroyed, all her personal belongings were ruined by storm surge and wind, and she was unable to move back into her repaired property until 2022. Today, she says massive outstanding utility bills burden most families and business owners across central Abaco – none of whom were offered the debt forgiveness extended to the two smaller island communities.

“When I learned that only certain groups were getting their entire balances wiped clean, I was shocked,” Major said in an interview. “All of central Abaco was hit just as hard, with these enormous bills that people can’t possibly pay. Six years on, we still have people living in tents and temporary dome shelters. A lot of homes look finished from the street, but step inside and there aren’t even floor tiles. The government acts like everything is fine for us here, but it’s not.”

The controversial debt cancellation came two weeks ahead of the national general election, after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis visited Grand Cay and publicly promised the relief to voters there. Government officials defended the move, framing it as a resolution to long-running billing disruptions triggered first by Hurricane Dorian and later by the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials noted that Grand Cay and Moore’s Island residents faced unique hardships including limited banking access, extended travel and business restrictions, and that accumulated debt accrued through circumstances outside consumers’ control. The government confirmed the outstanding balances would be covered through an offsetting agreement with Bahamas Power and Light.

But that explanation has done little to ease the anger among mainland Abaco residents, who point out they weathered the same storm and the same subsequent economic crisis, with many still struggling to rebuild. Major emphasized that many Marsh Harbour residents did not wait for government aid to begin rebuilding their homes and businesses, only to be saddled with crippling utility debt that the government has refused to address.

She also called out the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) for a separate recently revealed government-funded gift card program that saw small $300 gift certificates distributed to Abaco residents just ahead of the vote – a move she dismissed as insufficient and politically motivated. The Tribune previously confirmed that more than $200,000 in public funds was used for the gift certificates, which bear the signatures of PLP officials despite being a government initiative.

“A $300 gift certificate six years after we lost everything? What is that even supposed to cover?” Major asked. “A lot of people might celebrate a small handout right before an election, but that doesn’t fix what’s broken here. I was even offered $500 in cash at my door by campaign workers – I refused it. I don’t want a personal payout. I want the government to actually do something for our community.”

Lorane Burrows, a Dundas Town resident whose home was damaged in Dorian, shared Major’s fury, noting she was forced to pay outstanding water and sewerage bills even after her storm damage left her facing major financial strain. “They need to get out,” Burrows said. “This was a slap in the face to all of us. They’ve done nothing for Abaco, nothing for people like me who are still hurting. They failed us entirely.” Burrows confirmed she and all eight voting members of her household will not support the PLP in the upcoming election.

Rochelle Lightbourn, a 55-year-old Spring City resident who lost all her belongings when her rented home was destroyed in Dorian, argued the selective relief is a clear political calculation. “I think they’re doing this because they know they’re going to lose these districts, and they’re trying to buy back support,” she said. “It’s not going to work. I still haven’t even replaced everything I lost six years ago.”

Lottie Williams, a 64-year-old Spring City resident who lost the entire back section of her home in the storm and had to be rescued by emergency crews, said relief should have been extended to every Abaco resident impacted by Dorian. “Ninety-five percent of the homes in Spring City were destroyed,” she noted. “I understand those outer cays have challenges, but we fought for our lives here, we came home and rebuilt on our own, and we got zero help from this government. High electricity bills affect all of us. It’s just not fair to only write off bills for two small communities when we’re all struggling. That money should have been spread out to everyone who needed it.”

Many residents also recalled the slow, burdensome process of restoring power after the storm, noting that even long-term local residents were forced to produce extensive documentation just to reconnect service, despite the small community where most homeowners and occupants were already well-known to utility officials. For many, the compounding stress of Dorian’s destruction followed by the economic collapse of the COVID-19 pandemic left them unable to keep up with accumulated utility costs – a hardship the government has only chosen to address for a select few, weeks before voters head to the polls.