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OUTAGES COSTING ABACO THOUSANDS
Residents face significant loss from ruined goods and appliances as BPL blames critical equipment failure
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
ABACO businesses and homeowners are counting thousands of dollars in losses as prolonged power outages dragged into a second day yesterday, leaving entire communities without electricity and fuelling fears about the holiday season and the island’s economic stability.
Residents across Central and South Abaco, Hope Town and Sweeting Village said they endured more than 24 hours without power, with repeated failures, spoiled food, damaged appliances, and little information from Bahamas Power and Light about when full
MARSH Harbour’s volunteer fire department was last night on the verge of rescuing Abaco from “a pretty dark Christmas” after it provided Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) with emergency equipment to restart the island’s generation plant following the “worst outages since Hurricane Dorian”. FOR MORE SEE BUSINESS
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard has warned he will publicly release the list of officials who filed their financial declarations if the chairman of the Public
Disclosures Committee continues to withhold the information, nine months after the legal deadline passed. His comments followed The Tribune’s inquiry to the committee chairman, Bishop Victor Cooper,
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
DENARGIO Thurston was found guilty yesterday of negligently causing the death of his two-yearold son after the child became trapped in his car’s power window while he
was driving along Old Trail Road in August 2023. An eight-to-one jury convicted Thurston of manslaughter by negligence before Justice Neil Braithwaite. Thurston’s son, Jeremiah, died after his neck was
LONG WAIT TIMES AND HIGH COSTS TOP LIST OF HEALTH CONCERNS
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
LONG wait times, high costs and strained access to care remain the most pressing concerns for Bahamians across the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ new national health strategy for 2026 to 2030. The findings are drawn from a July 2025 survey
of 1,445 residents across 15 islands, which asked respondents to rank the best parts of the healthcare system, the main problems, and the areas most in need of improvement. The ministry said respondents on New Providence and the Family Islands offered broadly similar feedback on priority issues.
For New Providence residents, the call to “reduce wait times” dominated the
list of desired improvements, with 51 percent placing it in their top five. Another 50 percent selected “better hospital services.” People also ranked “more clinics that provide free or low-cost services” (35 percent); “faster emergency response” (24 percent); and “more health services on the Family Islands” (23 percent).
WILSON
POWER STATION IN ABACO
OPPOSITION LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD
Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville.
Photo: Jeffery Mackey
NEWLY-ELECTED councillors from various schools on Grand Bahama this past week took the oath of office, marking the official beginning of the 2025–2026 Local Government Junior Council Programme. In attendance at Jack Hayward Junior High School were District Superintendent of Education for Grand Bahama, Bimini and The Cays Maneica Pratt, Family Island Administrator for the City of Freeport Preston Cooper, Jack Hayward Junior High School Principal Janice Pinder, along with family, friends and staff. Consultant for Local Government Alexander Williams, Principal of Mary Star of the Sea Academy
Shannals Johnson, along with family, friends and staff were present at Mary Star of
the Sea Academy.
Photos: Jamika Culmer/BIS
Power crisis hits Abaco residents and businesses
to 25.
service would return.
In Hope Town, restaurant owner Junior Menard, 54, said the outages cost him his entire refrigerated inventory.
“We basically lost all of our refrigerated inventory. Had to be thrown away,” he said. “We are probably looking at about $4,000 worth of inventory gone.”
Power went out at 1pm Tuesday, briefly returned after midnight, then failed again at 4am Wednesday. When Mr Menard spoke to The Tribune service still had not been restored. He said the timing could be devastating for businesses that depend on the holiday tourism season.
“My biggest fear right now is going and sourcing the funds to replace everything to get ready
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
LONG Island MP
Adrian Gibson has urged the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to deploy additional technicians to the island amid ongoing communications issues following Hurricane Melissa.
Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Gibson noted that many residents and businesses continue to suffer from poor service given the lack of repairs since the hurricane.
He called on BTC to send additional resources and to provide customers with credit for service outages, whether for home phone service or internet, for the disruption.
“We only have two technicians on the entire island,” he said. "I call upon BTC to send down a team of technicians to assist these two hard working but worn-out members of the team.”
“I spoke to the ALIV’s CEO, John Gomez, and within days of the hurricane, he dispatched a team down there. So, I encourage BTC to do likewise."
Mr Gibson also had words for Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), renewing calls for a new generator.
for our holiday season,” he said. “This problem is not a small problem. They are sourcing power from North Abaco, which is Cooper’s Town and giving it out on a rotational or load-shedding basis.” Before BPL released its technical update on Wednesday afternoon, he said communication from the company had been limited.
In Sweeting Village, 70-year-old resident Deedee Russell said she lost two refrigerators in separate apartments she owns, valued at more than $4,800, after the outage damaged internal systems. Her power has been off since 12.45pm Tuesday. She said neighbours are facing the same.
“Whether you have a generator or not, this is disgraceful,” Ms Russell said. “You pay a bill every month, and you are off just as much.” She said
“This problem is not a small problem. They are sourcing power from North Abaco, which is Cooper’s Town and giving it out on a rotational or load-shedding basis.”
outages occurred “every day just about”, and she had no notice from BPL about when power would return.
Despite the frustration, residents acknowledged that line crews have been working continuously in sweltering conditions to restore the supply.
Only after nearly two days of outages did BPL give a full account of the system breakdown. The
company said the “root cause” of the island-wide failure was the collapse of the Wilson City Power Plant’s main electrical compressor, which regulates airflow within the station. When that compressor failed, BPL switched to a diesel unit, but that backup also malfunctioned.
“As the air pressure decreased, the plant tripped offline. It’s not a situation where the power units are not working. It’s a situation where both of our auxiliaries have failed,” Marvin Green, Northern Family Island Regional Manager, said. Engineering teams tried adapting parts from identical compressors and even enlisted a local machine shop, but the attempts were unsuccessful. They located a portable compressor, but it could only reach 12 bars — below the required 15
He said the island has been plagued by weekly power outages and questioned the status of a new generator that was promised to arrive by November.
“I’m going to have a conversation with my homegirl, Toni Seymour, the CEO sometime today and I’m hoping that BPL would move to resolve these issues so that we don't have these constant
BPL then redirected power from Cooper’s Town to provide rotational relief to Central and South Abaco. A replacement compressor originally expected on December 8 was delayed until January 10, 2026. Power failures also hit the Cays, where Hope Town experienced a malfunction on its local unit.
Although four new-generation units were secured in August, BPL said Hope Town can accommodate only one at a time because of insufficient land mass.
Attempts to feed Hope Town from Man-O-War Cay also failed when a transformer malfunctioned there. The company is now in discussions with a landowner regarding the placement of a second unit on Hope Town. Mr Green said work has been ongoing since Tuesday to resolve the
cascading failures. In Parliament, Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder said the Wilson City station had faced “multiple issues affecting power generation”. He said temporary equipment was being sourced and that he remained in contact with senior BPL officials.
“As an Abaconian, I am experiencing the same challenges and fully understand the impact of the issues it is having in our communities,” he said. He also urged BPL to consider financial relief for customers through bill credits “considering the enormous amount of outages and distribution problems that we have had in this coming to Christmas time”.
Residents said they hope for reliable power before Christmas, as businesses brace for the annual holiday surge.
weekly outages that affect schools, homes and businesses," he added.
Hurricane Melissa struck The Bahamas in late October after devastating parts of Cuba and Jamaica.
In Long Island, Melissa tore roofs from houses, uprooted trees, and downed power lines, leaving large sections of the island without electricity for days.
WILSON CITY POWER STATION IN ABACO
Disclosure delays weaken public confidence in officials
PINTARD from page one
regarding the status of filings. Bishop Cooper’s indirect and unclear responses left unresolved which MPs, senators and senior public officers complied with the March 1 requirement.
“He should release the information, and if he doesn’t, we’ll just go ahead and release that information to you,” Mr Pintard told reporters outside the House of Assembly.
“There are some members of Parliament and members of the Senate who released consistent with the timeline. There are others who release, I guess they had explanations after. There’s at least one member who didn’t release at all,” he said.
Mr Pintard said there is no reason the chairman should not publish the list, adding that transparency is his responsibility under the law.
The disclosure deadline was March 1, though some officials reportedly sought extensions. The system has long faced criticism over late submissions and, in many people’s view, a chronic lack of openness about compliance.
Mr Pintard has repeatedly argued that delays weaken public confidence in the integrity of elected officials. In March, he raised concerns that the committee had still not produced the legally mandated compliance list, despite the requirement for annual filings.
The committee has previously attributed delays to accessibility challenges and facility limitations — explanations that critics say fall short of what the law demands.
In March, the FNM announced that all of its parliamentarians met this year’s filing deadline under the Public Disclosure Act.
“There are some members of Parliament and members of the Senate who released consistent with the timeline. There are others who release, I guess they had explanations, after. There’s at least one member who didn’t release at all.”
Several Davis administration officials also told The Tribune that they filed their declarations, including Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper; Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin; Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey; National Security Minister Wayne Munroe; Labour and Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle; Energy and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis; Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg; Social Services Minister Myles Laroda; Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Leon Lundy; Health Minister Dr Michael Darville; and Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis. The Tribune was unable to reach several other elected officials for comment.
‘Not about cashing in’ - FNM open to Fox joining party
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FREE NATIONAL Movement leader Michael Pintard suggested his party has been in discussions with former NBA player Rick Fox, who recently announced his intention to run in the next general election.
During an appearance on Guardian Radio’s “Talking Heads” in November, Mr Fox revealed he had met with both the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement about potentially joining one of them, adding at the time that Mr Pintard had been the most aggressive in pursuing him.
Asked yesterday whether the FNM had formally reached out to Mr Fox, Mr Pintard did not directly answer but said the party has a good relationship with him.
“We have tremendous admiration for him, what he has been able to accomplish over the years, the tremendous attention he's brought to The Bahamas in a favourable way for all of the things that he has accomplished,” Mr Pintard told reporters outside of The House Assembly.
“When I was minister with responsibility for sport, we were having extensive conversations about more than
$300 million investment in that particular sector.”
Mr Pintard also criticised Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, who recently said he was unsure whether Mr Fox was Bahamian, suggesting he thought he was Canadian. Mr Fox, born in Canada to a Bahamian father and Italian mother, holds dual citizenship and spent his early years in The Bahamas.
Asked whether he sought to cash in on Mr Fox’s
celebrity appeal, Mr Pintard said: “It’s not about cashing in. It’s about providing any talent that would be able to move us forward. We're prepared to talk to Bahamians locally and abroad, who wish to contribute to the empowerment of Bahamas.”
Mr Fox, a former NBA star and actor, currently serves under the Davis administration as Ambassador at Large for sports. However, tensions have grew after he publicly criticised the party but refused to resign.
In a Facebook post last month, Mr Fox said he serves the Bahamian people, not a political party, and rejected claims that ambassadors must remain silent during by-elections. He added that if “silly season” demands placing party interests above the national interest, it would contradict what Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told him when he accepted the role.
FNM leader says administration ‘consistently’ ignores questions
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement (FNM) leader
Michael Pintard yesterday criticised the Davis administration for “consistently” failing to answer questions from the opposition after several queries went unanswered during question time in the House of Assembly.
Mr Pintard made the remark after reading off a series of questions about government borrowing and spending, most of them directed at Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis. Mr Davis was not in Parliament to respond.
The opposition leader’s questions focused heavily on a $500m foreign loan obtained in January 2023, as well as a $100m loan provided to Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).
He pressed the prime minister to confirm whether the loan was finalised with support from an Inter-American Development Bank policy-based guarantee and to explain why the government has
not disclosed the full terms, conditions and approved uses of the facility.
On the BPL loan, Mr Pintard asked the government to outline the loan’s terms and to confirm whether it was properly accounted for within the budgetary appropriations approved by Parliament, as required by law.
He also questioned the purchase of a new BMW by the Ministry of Finance and called on the prime minister to justify the acquisition. In response, Leader of Government Business Wayne Munroe said many of the questions had already been addressed in reports released by the government and the Central Bank. He said the House has already examined the national budget “line by line” and “head by head” but said if the opposition still believes the questions are outstanding, they will be answered.
He also questioned the propriety of several of the queries. “The other observation, Madam Speaker, is
questions cannot assume facts, and a lot of them assume not only facts, but contain assertions of what the law is, which is impermissible,” Mr Munroe continued.
However, Mr Pintard pushed back, telling Mr Munroe he was in no position to advise them.
“It's their responsibility,” Mr Pintard said, “as per the rules, to come to Parliament and to answer questions that are put to them by the people of The Bahamas by way of members of the opposition and they have consistently Madam Speaker, since 2023 failed to do so.”
Earlier in the session, Mr Munroe answered an opposition question regarding the year and mileage of 10 Dodge Chargers and a Freightliner rescue vehicle donated by the city of Miramar, Florida. He noted the country’s longstanding relationship with the city and said the donation was the second contribution from the city’s mayor. Mr Munroe also provided the production years and mileage for each vehicle.
OPPOSITION LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD
FORMER NBA PLAYER RICK FOX
Father found guilty of manslaughter after toddler dies in power window
caught in the vehicle’s electronic window.
Bystanders alerted Thurston before he realised the child was in distress.
By the time the vehicle stopped, the toddler had died.
The case mirrors the conviction of the boy’s mother, Sabrina Henry, who was sentenced to one year in prison for the same offence after taking a plea deal before Justice Braithwaite in August. In a police interview, Thurston said the child was not in a car seat or buckled in at the time. He claimed the child knew how to undo the seatbelt. He maintained his innocence
throughout the trial.
Defence attorney Keith Seymour requested a probation report for his client.
Thurston is expected back in court on March 12, 2026, for sentencing submissions.
Prosecutors Timothy Bailey and Karine MacVean appeared for the Crown.
Manhunt subject admits escape but denies Step Street stabbing
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN who admitted escaping police custody in Fox Hill last weekend denied stabbing a man in the same area three days earlier.
Prosecutors allege Cameron Pratt, 20, stabbed Marlin Smith multiple times in the back and body on December 3 on Step Street after a verbal altercation.
The 21-year-old victim collapsed on the road and required stitches when taken to the hospital for his serious injuries.
Prosecutors said Pratt escaped from the Fox Hill Police Station at around 7.30am on December 6. His escape triggered an islandwide manhunt and the release of a wanted poster. He later surrendered to the police the same day. Pratt pleaded guilty to escape from lawful custody
before Deputy Chief Magistrate Kara Turnquest Deveaux but pleaded not guilty to grievous harm.
Inspector Cordero Farrington objected to bail for the harm charge, citing public safety concerns.
Bail was denied, and Pratt was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial on February 25, 2026. He will be sentenced for the escape charge on the same date.
Judge cites gang links as man denied bail in nightclub shooting
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN arrested in Canada last year for alleged gang activity was denied bail yesterday on an attempted murder charge relating to a nightclub shooting in New Providence. Prosecutors allege Devon Laing, 30, opened fire in the direction of a group of people after a verbal altercation at a nightclub on Nassau Street on May 4, 2024, reportedly targeting the person he was arguing with.
In his bail application, refused before Justice Neil Braithwaite, Laing maintained he was innocent. He claimed he was in Canada at the time of the alleged offence and had been there since April 2024. He denied being a flight risk or danger to the public and said he would comply with any bail
conditions, adding that he is the father of two young children. Laing also has a prior conviction for armed robbery.
The prosecution opposed bail, citing public safety concerns. They said three people were injured in the shooting and that Laing was positively identified as the gunman. Prosecutors argued he posed a flight risk and that the evidence against him was strong.
They further submitted that Laing was arrested in Canada on November 13, 2024, for alleged gang activity and deported back to The Bahamas in June.
According to a CBC report last year, the Canadian investigation centred on a Hamilton-based street gang called “Hot Mali Squad”. The Hamilton Police Service alleged the group had ties to drug trafficking, robberies, daytime shootings and homicides.
Police there reported a record rise in shootings, with 58 recorded up to that point in the year. The gang allegedly has links to “Dirty South”, a faction of the Bahamian-based street gang “One Order.”
After reviewing the submissions, Justice Braithwaite noted the risk of retaliatory violence against the accused, citing allegations that the Canadian gang is connected to a notorious local group. He said Laing posed a grave concern to public order.
Out of concern for public safety and the risk that Laing might abscond before trial, Justice Braithwaite denied bail, saying there were no conditions he could impose that would sufficiently address those concerns.
Akire Nicholls and Betty Wilson represented the prosecution.
Accused charged with cutlass assault at Sandilands Centre granted bail
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of assaulting a man with a cutlass and threatening to kill him at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre last month.
Prosecutors allege
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was fined yesterday after admitting to having six shotgun rounds on Mackey Street.
Shervin Brown, 54, assaulted Rashad Kelly with a cutlass and threatened to kill him on November 22. Brown pleaded not guilty to assault with a dangerous instrument and threats of death before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. His bail was set at $2,500 with one or two sureties.
Hentettoe Wallace, 25, was found with six 12-gauge shotgun rounds at 2.30pm on Sunday, December 7. He pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition before Magistrate Lennox Coleby.
Under his bail conditions, he must sign in at the Fox Hill Police Station on the last Sunday of every month by 7pm and must not interfere with witnesses or risk revocation of his bail. Brown’s trial is scheduled for February 9, 2026. Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould prosecuted.
After accepting the facts of the case and expressing remorse, Wallace was ordered to pay a $600 fine or face three months in prison. Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie prosecuted.
The Tribune Limited
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LEON E. H. DUPUCH, Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
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Time for us to hear solutions
Last week, Prime Minister Philip Davis rang the alarm bell over the outdated healthcare systems in our country. In today’s Tribune, the people have their say on the matter.
Mr Davis said last week that the country could no longer accept the state of our healthcare systems – and said it was “past time to change the status quo on healthcare”. Mr Davis is not wrong, although as we noted in this column, he has been a part of the leadership of this country for many years.
Still, his call for “more beds and treatment rooms, stronger diagnostic services, and a facility built for the health challenges of this century rather than the last century” as the government debated proposals for the new hospital at Perpall Tract does identify some of the shortfalls. Not that anyone need to go far to identify those – they just have to ask those who use our healthcare facilities. And that is what the government has done. A survey in July this year found what you might expect – residents frustrated by long wait times and high costs.
Residents in New Providence put reducing wait times high on their wish list, 51 percent putting it in their top five, while 50 percent identified better hospital services as a pressing need.
It is the same in the Family Islands, with concerns about services being hard to access, or there not being enough doctors and nurses.
Last month, Public Hospitals Authority managing director Aubynette Rolle pointed out a shortfall of 500 nurses in the system, although the head of the nurses union was quick to point out that a new hospital will not solve that shortfall. Staff retention has long been an issue, and not one that will be easily solved without significant investment in training and ensuring people see a financial future here rather than elsewhere.
Here at The Tribune, we have often heard – and reported – some of the horror stories that patients have experienced over the years. We regularly hear about, and have sometimes personally experienced, those same long wait times.
Last month, we reported on an accident victim who said he slept in a chair for two days while waiting for
treatment. Meanwhile, the tangle of red tape caught a young mother whose citizenship application was stalled for months as she waited for her health records. Meanwhile, we have regularly heard from medical providers offering National Health Insurance assistance who find themselves waiting in a different way, this time for payment from the government for the services they have provided.
Across the board, there is a general consensus that things need to improve –though there is less agreement on how that improvement should be made.
The goals are easily recognisable. Cutting that wait time is not just a matter of convenience, it is a matter of making sure people get the care they need in a timely fashion.
Slow treatment has a knock-on effect. Not everyone can spare the time to try to seek treatment, and that can mean people presenting with more serious ailments because they were not identified sooner.
Many people do not seek out treatment because they feel they cannot afford it. For some, that is at the cost of their lives.
There are no easy solutions to all of this. It is easy enough to say hire more nurses, but the reality of that is figuring out who, and how much it will cost. That cost has to be factored into the national budget, let alone clearing hurdles such as the concerns over recruitment of people from Cuba to make sure government officials are not threatened with sanctions.
The survey tells us what we thought it would. We already know the concerns there are with our healthcare system –but the survey is handy evidence to use in pushing for improvements.
The next question is simply to ask what the plan for making those improvements is. How much will it cost to improve our health outcomes, and how do we plan to fill those holes in recruitment?
This should be a bigger conversation too – one that can survive transitions in government. We know where we want to go. We know the challenges we face. Now let us hear the solutions.
Call for govt to remove El Fargo wreckage
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I OFTEN wonder why the same word may mean different things to different countries and peoples, why? I also am perplexed that when the shoe is on the other foot, of a specific group, how they intend to go all out to ensure that they receives the sought after sums, compensation, to having their demands met as pressures becomes perpendicular to the kinds of landscapes their agitating will fetched? Actions have consequences, a known fact, and traversing territory that do speak volumes, but what was the right course of action ought to be? If the Wanted Toto an area belonged to another country, permission should have been sought, which is the proper thing to do. Failing To Acquire The Requisite permission you venture nevertheless, you are liable
for whatever might the damages be, absolutely and there is a case to be made against the owners, managers, captain crews estates, for the damages to coral reefs, poisoning of our undersea ecology (the ship was carrying north of 300steel 20ft containers and it will not be in the Bahamas’ best interest to have them sitting on bottom of the bottom of the bottom of the bottom of the fishing zones for country), in the area of Crooked Island, Bahamas. It is regrettable that the ship had not done their due diligence weather wise, and when there is no excuse not to have, because of the risks to the ship, its cargo and all of the souls aboard. I implore the government to dust off that file, I believe that the sinking of El Fargo occurred under the FNM, Minister Honorable Loretta Butler-Turner
PICTURE OF THE DAY
A threat to our constitution
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I WRITE to you today as a concerned citizen compelled by duty and conscience to draw urgent public attention to what may well prove to be one of the most consequential legislative moments in our nation’s modern history.
The Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2025, currently before our Parliament, presents itself as a necessary modernisation of our response to irregular migration. Yet beneath this seemingly technical veneer lies a series of provisions that fundamentally threaten the constitutional architecture upon which our democracy rests. This is not hyperbole; it is a sober assessment based on the plain reading of both the Bill and our Constitution.
was the Minister of Parliament for Long Island, and I do recall seeing pieces of property belonging to El Fargo washed ashore as far west as Long Island. I also believe that the ship’s head office was from the US territory of Puerto Rico, Caribbean and please, don’t let them tell you that they cannot retrieve it?
There are companies, salvaging companies Europe That Have The Abilities, capable of refloating all of those containers, and re-floating the ship, the only impediment being the dollar signs, the size of the job, but that is their problem, the Bahamian people want El Fargo out of this country, so that our fisheries products that sustains the Bahamian people, will not adversely affect us, health wise?
FRANK GILBERT Nassau, December 8, 2025.
Our Constitution, enshrined in Article 2, is unequivocal: it is the supreme law of The Bahamas. Any legislation inconsistent with it is void to that extent. Yet this Bill introduces obligations that appear to subordinate our sovereign authority to international mandates, limiting the very discretion our Executive requires to protect our borders and our people. When legislation compels our government to grant automatic access to asylum procedures for all illegal entrants, mandates adherence to non-refoulement standards that prevent repatriation, and opens our immigration processes to external oversight by bodies such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, we must ask ourselves: who truly governs The Bahamas?
The control of our borders is not merely an administrative function; it is a core constitutional responsibility reserved to the Executive under Article 52. Parliament cannot, and must not, fetter the hands of future governments in perpetuity by embedding international obligations that override executive discretion. To do so would amount to an unconstitutional
delegation of sovereign power to foreign entities, a principle long established by the Privy Council.
Equally troubling is the Bill’s creation of a privileged legal category that grants smuggled migrants’ immunity from prosecution while guaranteeing them access to medical care, education, food, shelter, and legal representation, benefits not statutorily guaranteed to struggling Bahamian citizens facing similar hardships. Article 26 of our Constitution prohibits discrimination based on national origin. How, then, can we reconcile legislation that creates unequal treatment, offering protections to foreign nationals that we do not ensure for our own people?
The financial burden this Bill imposes cannot be dismissed as mere policy detail. When mandatory obligations to provide comprehensive services to unlimited numbers of irregular migrants’ strain State resources to the point where Bahamians cannot reasonably enjoy their constitutional rights to security, protection of the law, and freedom of movement, we face a potential infringement under Article 15. Our government’s first constitutional duty is to the Bahamian people, not to become an involuntary social services provider for the hemisphere’s displaced populations, however sympathetic their circumstances.
Furthermore, the Bill’s sweeping scope fails the constitutional tests of rationality, necessity, and proportionality that Commonwealth jurisprudence requires of laws affecting fundamental rights. While addressing the criminal act of migrant smuggling is legitimate, this legislation goes far beyond that aim, inadvertently establishing a comprehensive
asylum system that fundamentally transforms our nation’s character and capacity without adequate public consultation or constitutional authorisation.
Editor, I am not advocating for callousness toward those in desperate circumstances. Compassion is a hallmark of the Bahamian spirit. But compassion cannot come at the cost of constitutional integrity or national sovereignty. We can—and must—develop humane policies that operate within our constitutional framework, not in contravention of it.
I therefore join the call for an immediate and comprehensive constitutional review of this Bill before any further parliamentary action. I urge extensive public consultation, particularly in communities most directly affected by irregular migration. And I advocate for substantial redrafting to ensure full constitutional compliance while respecting our sovereignty and our capacity as a small island nation. The Bahamas stands at a crossroads. The path we choose will determine whether we remain masters of our own destiny or become mere administrators of policies dictated by external forces. Our Constitution is not a suggestion; it is our covenant with each other and with generations yet unborn. We cannot, in our haste to appear progressive or accommodating, legislate away the very foundations of our independence. May wisdom, not expediency, guide our national conversation on this matter of profound consequence.
With respectful regards and continued hope for our nation, Howard J Bowe, JP. Advocate for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities.
HOWARD J BOWE, JP Freeport, Grand Bahama December 10, 2025.
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A VIEW from the Hope Town lightouse.
Photo: Curit C Photos
Family Islanders cite access to care as top health worry
HEALTH from page one
Family Island respondents expressed almost identical priorities. Forty-nine percent listed “better hospital services” among their top five needs, while 47 percent ranked reducing wait times as a key improvement. “More clinics that provide free or low-cost services” drew 37 percent support, followed by “faster emergency response” at 29 percent and “more support for seniors” at 25 percent.
When asked to identify the country’s biggest healthcare problems, long wait times again topped New Providence’s
list. Forty-nine percent included it among their top concerns — far ahead of the next most cited issue, the high cost of care, selected by 41 percent. Medication costs followed at 39 percent; “poor customer service” at 35 percent; and “health facilities in disrepair” at 27 percent. For Family Island residents, the most common problem was “hard to access services on the Family Islands”, cited by 47 percent. Another 44 percent said there were “not enough doctors and nurses”. Forty-one percent selected “I have to wait a long time to get an appointment”, while 34 percent pointed to facilities in
disrepair and 32 percent said they could not get the care they needed in the public system. Respondents also identified the system’s perceived strengths. On New Providence, 43 percent selected National Health Insurance coverage as one of the top-five best things about healthcare. This was followed by “free or affordable public services” (39 percent); “Access to health services when I need” (37 percent); “access to doctors and nurses when I need” (36 percent); and “friendly healthcare staff” (25 percent). Family Island respondents ranked “free or affordable public services”
by
Governor General praises staff resilience during holiday visit
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
GOVERNOR General
Cynthia “Mother” Pratt
visited Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) yesterday as part of her annual holiday tour of public health facilities, following an earlier visit to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.
During her visit, she toured areas of the newly renovated Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit, which recently completed a phased move that began on November 10. The upgraded facility is designed to improve patient flow, reduce wait times, and provide a safer, more efficient environment for both patients and staff.
Addressing hospital staff, Ms Pratt praised their dedication and resilience.
PRINCESS MARGARET Hospital was honored to welcome Her
“Thank you for the nights you have to leave home, you have no car, you have to walk to work, and when you get here, there’s a short staff. Sometimes you’re alone, but you never gave up,” she said. She encouraged staff to recognise the value of their work, noting that their
efforts make the Bahamas’ healthcare system stronger and more reliable. Ms Pratt emphasised the importance of teamwork and compassion, highlighting that the hospital operates as a “single compassionate body, offering healing gifts to those in
Rolle: PMH kitchen set for rebuild after year-long closure
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter
PUBLIC Hospital Authority Managing Director Aubynette Rolle says Princess Margaret Hospital’s long-closed kitchen is finally moving toward a full reconstruction, following more than a year of shutdown.
The kitchen has been out of operation since August 2024. Meal preparation was temporarily relocated to the University of The Bahamas.
Ms Rolle said the kitchen was closed after “critical issues” made the space unsafe for employees, prompting the hospital to move operations while planning a complete rebuild. Kitchen staff had previously staged walkouts and strike action as they demanded repairs and a permanent solution. She said the hospital ultimately had no choice but to shut the facility and relocate the unit.
“We’re doing a complete kitchen rehaul,” Ms Rolle said. The redesign will overhaul staff and patient food service, with plans for a modern cafeteria
flow, a butcher station to reduce procurement costs, a bakery station, and a fully upgraded system for inpatient meals. All architectural, mechanical, engineering and plumbing designs are being finalised, with construction targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
The kitchen project forms part of a wider loan-funded redevelopment plan to address long-standing infrastructure issues across PMH.
Ms Rolle said repairs are also planned for the children’s ward, upgrades to the eye ward and surgical area, critical care flooring repairs, and an expansion of the kidney patient care unit.
While renovation work continues, PMH is also advancing the phased opening of its new Accident and Emergency Department, with Ms Rolle insisting that A&E is already open.
“So the critical components that deal with patients who have cardiac issues, we can monitor them, those who need those observations, all of the basic tenets of persons who need emergency system,” she said. “Now, if you realise you
cannot move an emergency room in one day so we did a phased approach. This phased approach happened on the 10th of November.”
The paediatrics section of A&E will be toured on 18 December ahead of a final walk-through.
Ms Rolle stressed that delays in opening the remaining areas are unrelated to structural or technological readiness.
“It has to do with the furniture and equipments coming in,” she said, noting that “two thirds of emergency room” will soon be operational.
She added that funding for all major projects has already been secured. Once requests for proposals are issued, contractors will be invited to submit bids through the PHA’s standard tendering process.
Beyond construction, Ms Rolle said PMH is also strengthening its customer service systems. “We’ve just onboarded what we call patient experience, to strengthen that, to improve the complaints, to improve our response to customers,” she said.
need.” She also recognised the improvements to the hospital’s infrastructure, which provide staff with better working conditions and tools to deliver care effectively. She extended her official Christmas greetings to all patients and staff, praying for a joyful, restorative holiday season and continued blessings for the hospital and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
Aubynette Rolle, Managing Director of the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), also addressed staff, reinforcing the theme of this year’s holiday message: “Thrive together, one team, one purpose.” She stressed that healthcare is a promise
that requires teamwork, trust, and excellence. Ms Rolle commended PMH staff for their dedication and highlighted the recent completion of the A&E unit as an example of what can be achieved when staff work together.
PHA Chairman Andrew Edwards echoed this sentiment, acknowledging staff contributions to the hospital’s mission and emphasising the importance of giving compassionate care. He recognised individual employees from various departments for their service, gifting them hotel stays, electronics, and other tokens ahead of the holiday season.
Minister of Health Mr
Michael Darville also addressed staff, praising their continued commitment despite staffing shortages, infrastructure challenges, and increasing public demand. He noted that PMH has outgrown its current infrastructure, with 80 percent of beds occupied by patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, often returning for care repeatedly. He underscored the importance of modernising the hospital’s digital systems and infrastructure and highlighted the recently launched National Health Strategy for the next five years, alongside plans for a new specialty hospital.
highest at 46 percent, fol lowed
National Health Insurance coverage at 33 percent. “Access to doc tors and nurses when I need” was selected by 29 percent, while 28 percent chose “friendly
Excellency Cynthia Pratt, Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, as she continued the cherished annual tradition of visiting patients and the healthcare team.
Photos: Shawn Hanna
Do our leaders truly grasp the magnitude?
IN A recent interview with Sir KeirStarmer, The Economist concluded thatthe BritishPrime Ministerunderstood the moment facing his country.
The UK is confronted by myriad economic,political, security,and otherstructural challenges. The magazine concluded, however, “Britain’s primeminister understandsthe sizeof themoment. Hejust does notknow howto meet it. Here at home, Bahamians have a twofold question for the prime minister,the leaderof the opposition, and their respective parties: First,do theleadersgrasp the magnitude of the moment?
And, second, dotheyhave the capacity to meet the moment, includingthe qualityof potential cabinetministers, colleagues, and advisors who might assist them?
Most Bahamians do not believethat anyprimeminister since HubertIngraham came close tohaving anin-depth understanding of the challenges facing our archipelago, and the capacity toaddress themcompetently.
A real crisis
The NassauGuardian reported this weekon an address byPrimeMinisterPhilipDavis to a lodge in Grand Bahama.
“Thereis acrisisamong males inthis country, he implored. Ifeel it inmy spirit longbefore Ireaditin anyreport.IseeitinthefuneralsIattend, where the casket is small, andthe tearsareloud, anda mother keeps saying, ‘He was just starting tochange, prime minister.Hewasjuststartingto turn his life around.’
Iseeit whenIvisitthe prison, and ayoung man, barelyin his20s,says tome, Mr. Davis, I never thought my life would come to this.’
AndwhenI lookathim,I donotseea stranger.Iseea boy whowas oncein aschool uniform, who once had a laugh, who once had dreams.”
The primeminister s remark are clearly heartfelt. He was on the markwhen statingthat government alonecannot address the symptomsand patho-
logy ofthis “crisis” that is many decades old and not confined to The Bahamas. His government has offered some small-boreresponses. Yet, tragically, like many of hispredecessors, hedoesnot adequately grasp the deeper sociological realities.
Afterfour yearsinoffice, he has failedto articulate a vision anda longer-term strategy thatcomes closeto meeting the magnitudeof the moment.
For nearly 19 years, alongside others, this columnist has offeredspecificprogrammatic responsesto helpyoungmen lacking structure, opportunity, and lifelines.
The wordsof theprime minister andothers arenecessary. Yet thewords are deeply insufficient.Mr.Davisandhis party mustdo considerably more to meetthe moment of thechallengesofyouthunemployment and dysfunction.
Do the Leaderof the Opposition, Michael Pintard, and the FNMhave avision and strategy to addressthe needs ofat-riskyoungmenandmale offenders? We willsee if the party articulatesmore ofa vision in hisparty s election manifesto.
The failure to more comprehensively confrontthe challenges facingyoung men is aglaring exampleof apattern of national failure.
Deep economic challenges
Another example:we do not solely have a cost-ofliving crisis. Wehave deeper economic challenges, including the lack of an aspirational agendafor opportunity andgrowth thatincludes stronger growthtied torevitalising stopover visitors in tourismand otherpotential drivers of economic development.
The fast-growing cruise arrivals nowrepresent 80%of arrivals, butonly ninepercent of visitor expenditure. Stopover visitors, a fast-declining shareof ourarrivals, represent20% ofvisitorarrivals but account for 91% of visitor expenditure. It s clear thatgrowing our stopoverbusiness meanssig-
nificantlymore tooureconomythangrowingcruisevisitors.This singularrecognition should be a major focus of ourtourism strategy.Instead, we keep hearing giddy talk about thenumber of cruise passengers.
Neithermajor partyhas suggested a stopover growth strategy. Nexttime onehears someone insiston data-driven decision makingwhile sidelining thedata onstopover visitors, it s bestto ignore the data spinner.
The squalid natureof New Providenceismorethanasingular crisis. It’s symptomatic ofpoor valuesand aculture comfortablewith decayand filth.
Still,with morebasicconcern and oversight by politicians and publicofficerswe can relatively easily improve the cleanliness of the island.
Rememberhowlongittook tofix themaindump onNew Providence and then how quicklyit wasfixed whenthe political leadershipgot serious?
Politicians askwhy Bahamians are so frustrated with and cynical about government.Maybe drivingalong pothole-filledroads onthe way to a government office that fails to answer its telephones is asmall clue about just the tip of our frustrations. We often use “crisis” to refer to greatnational challenges. This is similar to
saying thatan individualwho has Type-2diabetes hasa crisis.Itremainsacrisisifunaddressed through lifestyle changesand medication.But if treated through exercise, diet,stress reduction,and other therapies,it becomes more manageable.
For decades, we have poorly and inconsistently treateda host of problems with crisis-likeinterventions, rather than broader and consistent intervention and therapy.
In a recent editorial onimmigration, The Guardian referenced the delayed reforms, underinvestment, and structural weaknesses facing the country. Such failure hasleft us adriftin a perpetual stateof multiple crises.
a certain box. Moreover, havinga socalledplan onpaperwithout the leadership, personnel, oversight, andother implementationmechanisms islike having a construction blueprint withouta competent
Lee KwanYew, insistedthat central to hissuccess in transforming asmall, insularcitystate dangling from the tip of the Malay Peninsula,into a modern metropolis and gleaming nation,was hisaccess to smart people.
Most Bahamians don't believe that any prime minister since Hubert Ingraham came close to having an in-depth understanding of our challenges, and the capacity to address them competently.
contractor, engineer,electrician,plumber,mason,workers, material, and funding.
Sometalkofanationalplan asaresponse toournational deficits. Planningis essential. But anynational planthat is ridiculouslylong andlacking in clear prioritiesand focus is a waste of time.
If a prime minister is presented with a 400-page nationalplanhe shouldsendhis teamback totheproverbial drawing board.
Thesamepoliticoswhotalk excitedly aboutnational plans often cannotexecute plans alreadyon theirdesksand stacked up in filing cabinets. Too often national planning exercises are meantto tick off
Many areexasperated with the high-blownrhetoric and flowery speechesof our leaders,whose endlessflowof words oftenpartially diagnose challenges, but failto offer more concrete strategies and programmatic responses.
Vision without the capacity to execute ishallucination, a friend advised a former loquacious prime minister.
Correspondingly, leaders should stop trying to sound sophisticatedand talktothe common manand womanin plain language. A lesson from Asia
The Father of Singapore,
Meeting big moments requires exceptional teams. Hubert Ingraham tried to get the best people possible in cabinet and other positions. Placing an obviously incompetent individual ina vitalrole was anathema to him.
Subsequent prime ministers have often appointed glaringly incapable people to key positions, rewarding them for loyalty, even asthey proveddisastrousin office.Thisloweringofstandardsisnowrifeandworsening the work of government.
Countries andgovernments cannot meetbig oreven medium-sized moments while beset by small-minded people woefullyout oftheirdepth, who excel atprofiling while failing miserablyin their work.
Creative and intelligent practitionersare keyforgood policy creation,alongside structures for policy planning, implementation, andoversight.
But first, we need leaders whounderstand thebigmoment andwho arepreparedto make history.
Say it ain't so! sugarless Oreos?
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer
REJOICE,New Year'sdieters: Oreosare getting a sugar-free option.
MondelezsaidTuesday thatOreoZero SugarandOreoDoubleStufZeroSugarwillgo on sale in the U.S. in January. They're a permanent additionto thecom pany's Oreo lineup.
It's the first time Mondelez has soldsugar-free Oreosin the U.S.They're already sold in Europe and China, the company said.
Mondelez said consumers are increasingly seekingwhat itcalls "mindful indulgence," and thenewOreoswillfillanexisting gap inthe market for sugar-free sandwich cookies.
Others havealso notedthe trend toward healthier snacks. In a report earlier thisyear,themarketresearchcompanyCircana found that a majority of Americans are seeking out snacks they consider"good for them." Conagra Brands,which makespopcorn andSlim Jim meat snacks, said ina recent snacking reportthat MillennialsandGeneration Zconsumers, in particular, areseeking portion-con-
trolled and wellness-focused snacks. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which was introduced in 2017,saw sales jump 9%last year, whileoriginalCoke salesgrewjust2%. Mondelez is also facing competition from Hershey,whichsellszerosugarversionsofReese's Peanut ButterCups andother candies,and Voortman, asugar-free wafercookie brand. Mondelezsaid itspentfour yearsdevelopingno-sugarOreos so it could ensure the cookies stilltasted liketheoriginals. Forsweetening, theOreos containmaltitol, atypeof sugar alcohol that's also found in some fruitsand vegetables; polydextrose, asoluble fiber; sucralose, asweetener derived from sugar; andacesulfame potassium, a synthetic sweetener. Comparing thenutrition dataon ZeroSugarandregularOreosistricky,since the serving sizes differ. A serving of Oreo Zero Sugar cookies, whichisdefinedas22.6grams,has90calories, 4.5gramsoffatand16gramsofcarbohydrates. A serving of regular Oreos, which is defined as threecookiesor34 grams,has160calories,7 grams of fat and 25 grams of carbohydrates.
US high court sides with Trump . . . again
HISTORY may well record that the complex and ambiguous relationshipbetween the highestUS Courtand President DonaldTrump was the key determinant in Trump’s two terms as the American chief executive.
One Supreme Court ruling has heretofore been pivotal and immenselyconsequential, as Trump resolutely attacks precedentand traditioninhis efforts to gather to himself ever more powerover the government. That was its sweeping judgment of July 1, 2024 in the case of Trump vs United States on presidential immunity. Theprosecution in this case basically sought to punishTrump forincitingthe January 6,2021 CapitolHill riot that shook the world’s faith in thedurability of American democracy.
Here’swhat theCourtsaid in itsruling: Underour constitutional structure of separated powers,the natureof Presidential powerentitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution foractions withinhis conclusive andpreclusive constitutional authority. And he isentitled toat leastpresumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts. That decisionwas taken whileJoeBidenwasstillpresident during the Trump interregnum, and, while its significance wascertainly appreciated andwidely lamentedat the time, the chaos consuming the Democratic Party oppositionovershadowedsomeofits impact.Only 10daysearlier,
Biden hadrevealed tothe world howenfeebled hehad become ina calamitous,nationally-televised debatewith Trump.
Normally theSupreme Court moves with a predictable rhythm.It assemblesfor itsnew termon thefirst Monday in October. In the great majorityof caseswhose potential impact makes them irresistiblefor punditsand commentators – not to mention judges andlawyers, over whose universe the high Court presides–theCourtbeginsdeliveringits solemnjudgments in the last half of June, leading up to itsannual summer adjournment.
So much forthat tradition. Some momentousdecisions have alreadybeen delivered, with severalmore certainto follow. Many of these are in responseto emergency requestsby theTrumpadministration toget theSupreme Court to overturnlower court invalidationsof theadministration s assertions of legal authorityto takelargelyunprecedented actions.
Last Thursday theSupreme Court declared thatthe GOP bid togerrymander TexaslegislativedistrictstofavourRepublicanswasOK.Infact,ina vote thatmirrored partylines on a court thatis supposed to beabovepartisanshipinitsdefence of the American consti-
tution, amajority ofthe justices explicitlycondoned partisan manoeuvres such as Congressional redistricting –so long as they are intended to merely confer political benefit andnotexplicitlydenyrepresentation tominority groups basedupontheirraceorethnicity.To redistrictin orderto effectively disenfranchise minoritygroupsisagainstfederal law. Andthat relevant section of the1965 Voting Rights Actis almostthe only oneleft withany teeth,after 60 yearsof Republicanefforts to weaken or dismantle it.
The decision taken by the Republican-dominated state legislature inTexas, proposes to altercongressional district lines in an avowed attempt to ensure more Republican victories in a November election, whereGOP prospectssagalmost every day. It overturned a previousmajority viewon the court that the spirit of federal civil rightslaw should prevailover partisanpolitics at the state level.
Democrats and liberals across the country reacted with shock andoutrage at a decision thatshould nothave beenvery surprising.Since Trump and then-Senate majorityleaderMitchMcConnell cleverly outfoxedthe Democratsin enablingTrumpto nominate(and theSenateto confirm)new highCourt
membersNeil Gorsuch,Brett Cavanagh, andAmy Comey Barrett, the 6-3 conservative majority onthe panelhas delivered manyverdicts that have made Republicans smile.
Amongthe manygroups who canclaim partof the creditforwhatcanonlybedescribed as a stunning lurch to the right onthe US Supreme Courtare theFederalistSociety and Heritage Foundation.They vettedDonald Trump’s three successful nominees for theUS high court during hisfirst term. They did a fine job.
Maybe thenew conservative court was still finding its wayduring thelast months of Trump’s firstterm as president, whenthe Supreme Court ruled against his administration several times. But after Joe Biden replaced Trumpin theWhite Housein January2021, thecourthad foundits way,pushingback hard on Biden’s many attempts to governby executive order. To those observers inclinedtocondemnthecourtas now openly partisan, there wasplentyofevidencetosupport their conclusions.
And nowduring Trump’s first year ofhis second term, the Court has often supported hiseffortstoconsolidateexecutive power, slashthe federal government, andgenerally governas thoughthereare few constraints onhim as President.
Since Trumpmoved back into the White House in January, lower state and federal courtlegal challengesto his policiesand methods--on
issuesfrom immigrantrights to tariffs tojudicial appointments have resultedin numerous judgmentsthat supported the thesis that Trump is overreaching. Judges on local district courtsand courtsofappeal have blockedTrump’s policieshundreds oftimesin the past10 months.These judges, many appointed by Trump himself or other Republican presidents, have stepped in to prevent the President from cutting off spendingthatCongressappropriated, dismantling departments Congress itself created, firingthe headsoffederal agencies, and deporting people without due process.
Trump s response has consistentlybeento refersuchinsubordinate decisions to ‘his’ Supreme Court. And its conservative majorityhas denied only oneof Mr.Trump s 32 ‘emergency petitions’ in this second term. Thathas practically meant that the current administration could continue the activitiesthat hadbeen challenged in lowercourts, at least until aformal legal determination could be madein the months or years to come.
The court sdecision onthe Texas redistrictingproposal is widely believed toopen the door toa GOP gain ofup to fiveseatsinthestate’salready red Congressional delegation. Efforts continuein Missouri, North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, and Utahto do the same.If thoseefforts goaccording to theplans of Trump and the Republicans, the net gainfor theGOPin thenext Congress couldadd another halfdozenredseats.Floridais considering gerrymandering too.
And thenthere isthe matter of California (and Virginia and Maryland).In theelections last month, Golden State voters overwhelmingly approved ameasure thatwould permit Congressional redistricting inthe nation’s most populous state. If that were to happen, the Democrats could seea gainof atleast sixseats. And it sin CaliforniagovernorGavin Newsom’s interest to pursuethis, not only todefy Trump,butalso tosolidify his hold on the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
Democratsalso holdpolitical strangleholds in Virginia and Maryland.And ifthose state legislatures opt for redistricting, as many as five more blueseatscouldbeaddednext year. Republicanshort-term gains might not amount to much in the end.
TheRepublicans havechallengedtheCaliforniavote,but that challengeseems tohave sufferedsignificantlyfromthe Supreme Court s judgement on the Texas plan. Indeed, the high Court’smajority opinion explicitly noted that California’s map wascreated as a direct, partisanresponse to Texas’ political redistricting. Texas adopted the first new map,then Californiarespondedwithits ownmapfor the stated purposeof counteracting what Texas haddone,” theCourtwrote. Theimpetus for the adoptionof the Texas map(like themapsubsequentlyadopted inCalifornia) was partisanadvantage, pure and simple.
These Supreme Court statements probably doom the GOP plaintiffs in California, whorelyon theclaim(asdid liberalplaintiffs inTexas)that California’sredraw wasmotivated primarily by race. The Supreme Court just framed this gerrymanderingscheme as indisputablypartisan. Under currentprecedent, partisan gerrymandering is not something federal courts can review.
Still, someprominent national Republicanshave warnedthatstunts likethisredistricting effort,while they often bring short term gains, regularly also bring with them intermediate and longer-term consequences that donot favour the original instigators of thechanges. WithTrumpso committed to retaining a House majority thathe can continue torule, however, such warningsare apparently being ignored.
THE SUPREME Court building in Washington, DC.
Photo: Vecteezy
Pinder defends record as he announces his intention to exit frontline politics
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
MEMBER of Parliament for Central and South Abaco John Pinder has officially announced he will not seek re-election, saying he can contribute more “behind the front lines” and that it was never his intention to build a “political career.”
“I had never in my life dreamed or wanted to have a career in politics, I do my best work behind the front lines,” he told The Tribune His decision comes amid reports that several senior PLP supporters in Abaco have expressed dissatisfaction with Mr Pinder’s representation, including his lack of visibility and “dismissive attitude.” And during a recent branch meeting attended by Prime Minister Philip Davis, concerns were also raised about the MP’s performance and the pace of recovery efforts.
When contacted on Wednesday, Mr Pinder, however, defended his record, highlighting what he
described as significant progress in Abaco’s recovery, particularly its economic and tourism revival.
In an official statement, the MP said his decision came “after careful consideration and consultation” with his family.
“When I first entered public service, Abaco was facing unprecedented challenges,” he said. “The country was in lockdown, children were out of school, and Abaco’s economy had been significantly impacted. My guiding purpose was clear: to help restore Abaco, revive economic activity, and bring tourism and investment back to our islands.”
“While there is still work to be done, Abaco has made meaningful progress,” said Mr Pinder.
Speaking with The Tribune, the MP admitted that he never intended to remain in frontline politics for the long term.
“I never went into this to be a career politician, and I can support and do more behind the front lines. If there's other viable candidates that I think would
make good members of parliament then I would be happy to let them go forward with it,” he said. He confirmed there are three individuals seeking the nomination to replace him. “The candidate select committee is having meetings this week with them,
but I cannot say anything further until those meetings are done,” he said.
Mr Pinder did indicate that he supports one of the aspiring candidates but declined to name the individual.
“I’m not going to speak on that until the candidate
select meetings are complete. Then, I will be happy to let you know why I support that individual,” he said.
Reflecting on his record, Mr Pinder pointed to improvements in tourism, infrastructure, and key settlements, including Moore’s Island.
His first priority was strengthening the economy, he said. “We increased the flight service and the spotlight that Abaco was actually open for business because when I came into power the FNM had actually removed us from the tourism map.”
Mr Pinder indicated that he has worked internationally to restore confidence in Abaco, leading to increased visitor arrivals on that island.
“I spent a lot of time going to the other industry partners in different countries and explained that Abaco was open for business, and that snowballed into the fact now where we are the second largest stopover visitor destination within the Bahamas only outside of Nassau,” he explained. On the ground, he noted that several Public Works projects are now completed or nearing completion, including road paving in Pelican Road, Central Pines.
Mr Pinder reported that the contract for Sweeting’s Tract Water and Road works has just been finalised.
Moore’s Island, he said, received long-overdue attention, adding that the two wooden fishing docks were rebuilt and both extended to 200 ft.
Additionally, the entire front street seawall is done, and work is currently underway on the main freight dock.
“The land and the plans for their proper clinic are finalized and you'll see that starting within weeks,” Mr
Pinder said.
“So, Moore's Island got the brunt of my focus, and Central Abaco was defined by helping bolster the tourism economy, which is the main driver for our economy as a whole.”
Mr Pinder said he has “absolutely no regrets” about entering frontline politics.
“At that time, Abaco was in a very bad position, and being in Hope Town and being on the (local government) Council here, as well as being on the board of some of the non-profits, and coming back to business very quickly, I saw nothing happening in Central Abaco. So my notion was to be able to speak for Abaco and be able to move us forward, which I did.”
Before leaving politics, Mr Pinder hopes that several ongoing projects will be completed.
“I have about 10 different projects that are in Public Works and I would like them to be completed, he said. They are spread throughout my constituency including the government post office building in Hope Town, road works, docks and a lot more.”
In his statement, Mr Pinder thanked constituents for the opportunity to serve. “It has been a profound honor to represent this constituency and I am deeply thankful for the trust and support shown to me throughout my tenure he said. “Public service is not defined by a title, but by a commitment to people.”
While stepping back from electoral politics, he said his dedication to Abaco remains unwavering.
“I remain fully committed to the continued advancement and elevation of our communities and will continue to support Abaco in every way possible. I am, and always will be, an Abaconian,” he said.
‘Our country is not for sale’ - COI protests outside House
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
THE Coalition of Independence (COI) protested outside the House of Assembly yesterday, warning they will “shut” the country down before allowing the Smuggling of Migrants Bill to pass the Senate, saying they believe it opens the door for illegal migrants to enter The Bahamas.
Scores chanted “Our country is not for sale” and “Enough is Enough.” They accused the government of proposing a law that jeopardises the country’s sovereignty. At one point, the crowd sang “This land is my land” while waving the Bahamian flag.
Some supporters shouted toward the windows of the House, calling Members of Parliament “traitors.”
The COI has been vocal in its opposition to the bill, accusing the government of introducing what they describe as an “asylum” or “security” bill for migrants. Their frustration intensified after the bill passed in Parliament on Tuesday.
COI leader Lincoln Bain credited the government for removing a controversial clause that would have protected smuggled migrants from prosecution for illegal entry, illegal stay or possession of fraudulent documents if these actions were directly caused by being smuggled. The Davis administration removed the clause following public outcry. Mr Bain called the clause “diabolical,” insisting it would have decriminalised illegal immigration.
The bill was first tabled on October 15. Mr Bain accused the government of rushing it through Parliament without proper consultation.
“We don't hate Cubans or Jamaicans or anyone, but we have to defend our
borders,” Mr Bain said. “Every other country, including Haiti, defends their borders. They have laws in place to defend their sovereignty. I cannot own land in Haiti. I cannot run for government in Haiti, they're protecting their country, and I respect them for doing that.”
He rejected claims that he is xenophobic, saying the COI opposes illegal migration, not migration in general.
Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard recently said an FNM administration would immediately repeal the Smuggling of Migrants Bill, calling it a “far cry” from any real immigration crackdown.
The Davis administration has defended the legislation, saying it is aimed at cracking down on migrant smuggling by strengthening provisions to target traffickers who move people into or out of The Bahamas when Bahamian nationals or interests are involved.
Prime Minister Philip Davis has stressed that the bill was never intended to create a new legal pathway for undocumented migrants to remain in The Bahamas. He said the legislation targets smugglers, not migrants, and that existing laws address migrants separately. Last week, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the bill’s purpose is to tighten penalties, expand enforcement against human smuggling, and reduce the number of migrants entering the country illegally. He emphasised that it does not alter the state’s authority to arrest, detain, charge or deport migrants under the Immigration Act. The bill imposes tougher penalties, including fines of up to $300,000 and prison terms of up to 15 years for anyone who procures false documents for migrants or assists, transports, hides or otherwise facilitates them.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH ABACO MP, JOHN PINDER