The Corrupt Nature of Bahamian Politics in The Bahamas

Election Politics in The Bahamas: Who gets to eat - and who doesn't

By Craig Butler:

Bahamian elections are too often not about governance.  They are about access.

Access to contracts.  Access to appointments.  Access to the Treasury.  That is the sickness.

The winning party does not merely win office.  It gains control over how roughly $1 billion in public contracts is distributed.

And too often the real contest is not over policy; it is over who gets fed.

That is not nation-building.  That is budget politics dressed up as democracy.

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More Haitians in The Bahamas Arrested for Possession of Fraudulent Bahamian Passports, National Insurance Board Cards, and Voters Cards in 2026

TWO MORE HAITIAN NATIONALS ARRESTED WITH FRAUDULENT BAHAMIAN PASSPORTS AND VOTERS CARD.

Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas: An 18-year-old Haitian man accused of fraudulently obtaining a Bahamian passport and voter’s card was remanded to prison yesterday after prosecutors said they used the documents at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Max Veve Pierre and Gersey Pierre, 59, are accused of agreeing on December 23, 2024, to fraudulently obtain a Bahamian passport.

Prosecutors allege the pair secured a passport in Max’s name from the Passport Office on February 3, 2025.

Authorities further allege that Max uttered the fraudulent passport at the Parliamentary Registry on January 23 to obtain a Bahamian voter’s card.  He is also accused of presenting the same passport to immigration officers at LPIA on February 24, where the alleged scheme unravelled.

Max was charged with three counts of possession of a false document, two counts of uttering a false document and fraud by false pretences.

Both men face additional charges of fraud by false pretences and conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences.

The accused, both construction workers, pleaded not guilty before Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs.

They were remanded to The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until their trial begins on May 21.

Inspector Timothy Bain was the prosecutor.

This brings the total to 23 Haitian nationals arrested and charged in The Bahamas with possession of fraudulent passports, NIB cards and voters card so far for the year 2026.

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Marvin Dames is Still Standing Strong and Smiling

Marvin Dames' Still standing... Still smiling

I am deeply grateful to those who continue to stand with me, trust me, and believe me, while believing in me.  I am filled with emotion and sincere appreciation for the group of people I sit before today.  Though they represent just a microcosm of our beautiful Mt. Moriah community, they have become family.  They have stood beside me through every single season.

Most importantly, they have loved me and cared for me from the very beginning of my political journey, and for that, I owe them more than words can express.

With that said, we will not be deterred.  We will not be distracted.  We have a country to fix, and we will remain steadfast in that mission.

I love you. I love you. I love you, Mt. Moriah. ❤️

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Serious Concerns about Election Readiness in The Bahamas

Dr. Duane Sands, Chairman of the Free National Movement: New Boundary Register Flaws Deepen Concerns Over Election Readiness

After reviewing the updated voters list issued after recent boundary changes, the Free National Movement (FNM) has identified serious new problems that raise fresh concerns about election readiness.  These findings add to issues previously raised that have yet to be addressed.  The FNM has formally written to the Parliamentary Registration Department outlining these discrepancies, which are not minor clerical errors but significant flaws requiring urgent correction.

In its review, the FNM found polling divisions with no voters assigned, including Killarney Polling Division 3, Southern Shores Polling Division 4, and Tall Pines Polling Division 4.  It is not normal for polling divisions to be skipped in this manner.

The party also identified what appear to be residual or improperly transferred records following the Constituency Unit Transfer process.  These issues affect Central and South Eleuthera, MICAL, North Eleuthera, Free Town, North Abaco, Tall Pines, and Golden Isles.  The discrepancies suggest incomplete or flawed data migration after the boundary adjustments.

Additionally, the FNM documented cases where first-time voters were improperly turned away despite presenting valid Bahamian passports.  Voters who registered or transferred months ago do not appear on the electronic register.  Duplicate entries across constituencies and deceased individuals remaining on the National Register were also observed, along with inconsistent application of registration rules.

To date, these issues have not been addressed, and additional irregularities continue to emerge.

A credible general election depends on a registration system that is orderly, accurate, transparent, and consistently applied.  The voters register is the foundation of electoral integrity.  If that foundation is unstable, the entire system is called into question.

For that reason, the FNM is calling for:

• A full audit and reconciliation of the revised register following the Boundary Commission changes

• Immediate correction of polling divisions with missing assignments

• A comprehensive review of the Constituency Unit Transfer process

• Public clarification on all previously identified irregularities

Protecting the vote is not a partisan issue; it is a constitutional responsibility owed to every Bahamian citizen.

The FNM has requested an urgent response from the Parliamentary Registration Department and stands ready to meet without delay to resolve these matters.

The integrity of the voters register must be beyond question.

Jeffrey Epstein Expressed Interest in Long Island Science Centre, The Bahamas

Epstein Expressed Interest in Long Island Science Centre, Emails Reveal

By The Long Island Runner News

Newly released U.S. Justice Department documents show that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein once expressed interest in funding a proposed physics research centre on Long Island, The Bahamas, near the Stella Maris Resort.

The emails, part of millions of Epstein-related documents released last week, reveal that in 2015, approximately seven years after serving jail time for crimes involving underage girls, Epstein was approached about helping finance The Bahamas Centre for High Energy Physics, Astrophysics, Gravitation and Cosmology.  The centre was intended to bring advanced scientific research and graduate-level physics education to The Bahamas for the first time.

The initiative came from Professor Eduardo Guendelman of Israel’s Ben-Gurion University, in collaboration with Professor Thomas Curtright of the University of Miami.  Both scientists have maintained strong ties to Long Island, where they allegedly continue to host annual academic events at the Stella Maris Resort under The Bahamas Advanced Study Institute and Conferences (BASIC) banner.

In one February 2015 email, Professor Guendelman described the vision for the Long Island centre: a permanent staff of five senior researchers, ten post-graduate students, and ten doctoral students, offering high-level research opportunities and drawing international attention to the island. 

Guendelman also suggested that the centre could boost tourism and local economic activity by hosting scientific conferences.

Epstein responded positively within days, writing simply: “Yes, I would be interested.”  Guendelman quickly suggested the centre could be officially linked to the University of Miami, thanks to Professor Curtright’s involvement.

The emails detail ongoing discussions, including possible video calls with Epstein, interest from physicists worldwide, and potential funding from organizations such as the Lyford Cay Foundation.  A local developer, Richard Keyworth, reportedly offered discounted land near Stella Maris and assistance in securing government support.

The project faced setbacks, including Hurricane Joaquin, which damaged parts of northern Long Island in late 2015.  Guendelman argued that the hurricane could strengthen the case for government support, presenting the centre as both a scientific initiative and a way to boost the island’s economy.

Despite Epstein’s initial interest, the Long Island physics centre was never built.  The Stella Maris Resort, which was mentioned in alleged discussions as a potential site, remains for sale today.  However, Professors Guendelman and Curtright allegedly continue to bring international attention to Long Island through their annual BASIC conferences, which attract academics and researchers to the island.

The documents highlight Epstein’s attempts to engage with high-profile scientific projects even after his criminal convictions, and shine a light on Long Island’s potential as a hub for education, research, and international collaboration.

Long Island is not just a tourist destination, but also has the allure to attract and host world-class academic initiatives.

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Corruption in Bahamas Immigration?

Immigration Corruption in The Bahamas?

By James Julmis

Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas

It has been brought to public attention, including via a circulated voice note, that an Immigration Officer allegedly attempted to extort the sum of $500 from a Haitian national.  According to the allegations, the individual was only able to provide $150, after which the officer allegedly issued threats to conduct raids on the homes of other Haitian nationals in the area should the remaining amount not be paid.  Even more concerning, the voice note allegedly contains statements in which the officer boasts about “protecting” Haitian nationals in exchange for monetary payment.

If substantiated, these actions would amount to gross misconduct, corruption, abuse of public office, intimidation, and possible criminal extortion, all of which severely undermine public trust in law enforcement and immigration institutions.

Given the gravity of these allegations, I respectfully but firmly request the following:

1. An immediate and impartial investigation by the relevant authorities, including the Immigration Department and THE RBPF. 

2. Identification and suspension (pending investigation) of the individual heard on the voice note, should the authenticity be confirmed.

3. Protection for the alleged victim(s) and witnesses, particularly members of the Haitian community who may fear retaliation.

4. A formal update to the public or relevant stakeholders on the status and outcome of the investigation, in the interest of transparency and accountability.

5. That, if the allegations are proven, the individual responsible be held fully accountable under the law, including disciplinary and criminal proceedings where appropriate.

No public officer should be permitted to exploit vulnerable individuals or use the authority of the State as a tool for personal enrichment or intimidation. Failure to address such conduct decisively risks normalizing corruption and eroding confidence in national security and immigration enforcement.

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Police Corruption Live and in Color in The Bahamas

Corruption in The Bahamas

By Franklyn Robinson

What makes that video so damaging is not only what was said, but what it signaled: the ease, the confidence, and the procedural choreography of a roadside stop being turned into a private “arrangement” — “can’t be too obvious,” “too much people around,” “go out of the view.”  That is not the language of lawful enforcement; it is the language of a shakedown.  And the public outrage is justified because the scene described in the reports was not a lone officer acting in isolation — it was a staffed roadblock with multiple officers stopping multiple vehicles near St Matthew’s Anglican Church off Shirley Street.

If the Royal Bahamas Police Force wants the public to believe this is “not reflective of standards,” then the response cannot be generic.  The Force has already confirmed it is investigating the matter after reviewing the circulating video.

Now the burden is transparency, not slogans.  The public should be shown the written operational order that authorised that specific roadblock: who ordered it, what lawful purpose it served, the time window, the command structure on scene, and the enforcement output (warnings/tickets issued, vehicles seized, arrests made).  Because without that, the reasonable conclusion in the public mind is exactly what the video communicates: an organised environment where leverage is created in public and monetised in private.

And it gets worse when you widen the lens.  The tourist in the footage said he rented a scooter near the cruise port and produced a contract, while the officer raised concerns about the scooter being damaged.

That is not a minor side issue — it is a second corruption channel sitting beside the first: unsafe or improperly regulated rentals being put onto Bahamian roads, and then tourists (and Bahamians) being trapped between defective equipment and discretionary enforcement.  If a vehicle is unroadworthy, then the system’s priority should be safety and compliance — not extracting money to “make it go away.”

If a rental operation is legitimate, it should be licensed, traceable, insured, and operating vehicles that are demonstrably fit for the road.  The Road Traffic (Vehicle Inspection) Regulations are explicit that vehicles must have a valid certificate of inspection, owners must present the vehicle for further inspection before expiry, and inspection certificates are not to be transferred between vehicles.

In addition, the Road Traffic Department’s own published guidance for public service vehicles states inspections are conducted twice per year (May and October).  A tourist rental scooter being on the street in questionable condition, tied to an informal rental source near the cruise port, is a flashing sign that regulation and enforcement are not being applied consistently.

This is why the “bad apple” framing fails.  A roadblock is not a private one-on-one interaction; it is an operation.

The moment an officer can tell someone to step out of view and “work something out,” the question becomes systemic: what supervision was present, what culture is tolerated, what discipline is actually enforced, and why so many Bahamians recognise the script immediately.  The Tribune report itself notes the clip triggered widespread condemnation, precisely because the public read it as brazen, familiar misconduct — not as an unimaginable anomaly.

The political dimension cannot be ducked either.  When this kind of conduct becomes normalised, it is not only a policing problem; it is governance decay.

It seeps into licensing, inspection, enforcement discretion, and the quiet tolerance of “small corruption” as if it is harmless.  It is not harmless.  It is reputationally catastrophic for a tourism economy, corrosive to public trust, and financially predatory to ordinary Bahamians who cannot afford to buy their way out of inconvenience.  And every time leadership responds with vague statements rather than hard disclosures, it reads like protection of the institution over protection of the country.

So, yes: the encounter is shameful — not merely because it embarrasses The Bahamas internationally, but because it reflects an out-of-control culture where too many people believe government-facing systems can be navigated by side-payments, favours, and quiet arrangements.  If the country is serious about cleaning it up, the standard must be simple and public: publish the roadblock authorisation trail, disclose the command accountability, identify the rental operator pathway that put that scooter on the road, and show enforcement outcomes that match the gravity of what the public saw and heard — not “investigation” as a holding pattern, but consequences that make the next officer think twice before trying to turn a public duty into a private hustle.

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