About Flamingo Air in The Bahamas

About Flamingo Air and Aircraft Safety in The Bahamas

Dr. Andre Rollins - Member of Parliament (MP) for Long Island on the Question of Aviation Safety in The Bahamas

 

"We must operate our industry on one fundamental premise: that a Bahamian licensed aircraft is a safe aircraft."

"We join all Bahamians in awaiting what we expect to be an impartial and thorough report by the Air Accident Investigation Authority regarding the fatal plane crash that occurred on Friday, July, 10.

Without engaging in any speculation, what we do know is that in the wake of the crash, the Government suspended Flamingo Air's Air Operator’s Certificat (AOC).   Therefore, concerns about aircraft safety are already presumed to be a part of the question surrounding what led to this aviation accident.  The public has a right to know whether the Government will fully and transparently provide the answer.

We have been asked to grieve, and our country is grieving.  However, a nation honours its dead by protecting its living, and that duty begins today, not whenever an air accident report is published.

That duty also includes standing beside the victims’ families in the days and months ahead.  They should not be left to navigate grief, insurance claims, compensation, funeral expenses, legal requirements and government agencies on their own.

The Government should immediately appoint a single, independent family-assistance team to help each affected family understand what support is available, what documents are required, who is responsible for payment and how claims will be processed.  It should also confirm whether emergency financial assistance, counseling, and legal or administrative support are being provided.  Compassion cannot consist solely of condolences.  It must also mean practical help, clear answers, and a process that does not force grieving families to fight through bureaucracy alone.

Some questions need no investigation, because the answers already sit in files at the Civil Aviation Authority (the “Authority”) and can be answered this week:

1) Who was operating the doomed C6–FLX aircraft?  Was it Flamingo Air or someone to whom the aircraft was leased?

2) If it was leased, was the lease filed with the Authority and whose AOC was Friday's flight flying under?

3) Was the aircraft still on Flamingo Air's approved operations specifications?

4) Was the insurance valid that day, and did it cover paying passengers?

5) Is there a manifest of all the people that were onboard the aircraft for that flight?

6) When did the Authority last inspect this aircraft and operator, and after eight accidents and incidents involving this operator since 2012, what exactly was the Authority watching before Friday?

These are matters of paperwork that do not rely on an investigation of the wreckage.  We must be honest with ourselves.  Because our weather is calm and our flights are short, we have come to believe that flying is without risk.  It is not.  The most dangerous minutes of any flight are takeoff and landing, and a ten-minute hop compresses the two highest risk moments into a very small window of time.

For too long, gear collapses and close calls have been treated as stories to tell instead of warnings to act on.  Luck is not a safety system, and a culture like that does not fix itself or protect those who rely on safe air transportation between our islands.  It is fixed by a regulator focused on safety, industry engagement, and the education and protection of licensees and the traveling public.

Aviation is the lifeline of our islands.  We must restore the pride, diligence and immense level of responsibility required to safely transport our people and our tourists throughout our archipelago. 

We must operate our industry on one fundamental premise: that a Bahamian licensed aircraft is a safe aircraft."

Source / Comment

The Huns brutal style of property theft has been legally preserved in The Bahamas by the Quieting Titles Act 1959 and by the post 2021, Power of Sale, Section 25, provisions of the Real Property Tax Act (As amended)

The Legal Preservation of Property Theft in The Bahamas

Seeds of Anarchy - A Cape Coast Castle philosophy – The doors of death and no return

Public Statement

By Hon. D Halson Moultrie

Dated 28th June, 2026

In the days of Attila, King of the Huns from AD 434 until AD 453 he died in Hungary, “the scourge of God” as he called himself was visited upon Central and Eastern Europe.

The Huns are now extinct nomadic people but their brutal style of property theft has been legally preserved in The Bahamas by the Quieting Titles Act 1959 and by the post 2021, Power of Sale, Section 25, provisions of the Real Property Tax Act (As amended).

Despite world efforts to end land and minerals seizures by conquest, legal and psychological warfare has become the modern day modus operandi in forced takeovers and swift surrenders.

In Hunnic style, Attila the Hun, the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires invaded nations and plundered weaker territories.

In similar fashion to fraudsters conspiring to use the statute laws of The Bahamas as instruments of fraud, by collusion with other sympathizers in his mixed confederated empire, through barbaric force and violence, deceit, recklessness and King’s edicts, Attila scoped out vulnerable countries and pillage territories, seizing land, personal properties and other assets.

The fraudsters of the Quieting Titles Act and Section 25, Power of Sale, provisions of the Real Property Tax Act are no different.

Nobody was safe from Attila’s evil and wicked wrath and today, in The Bahamas only the protected few benefit from and escape this corrupted environment.

Nowadays, legal and psychological warfare suggests that if someone wrongs you, it’s a done deal, the wrong has been executed; you have been notified, vacate what used to be your property and yield your rights to the wrong doer.

Take out an action to recover your property and/or rights from the wrongdoer in the same court that upheld the unlawful act that dispossessed you, and that refused to examine the legitimacy of the process or legality of the wrong doing.

In your ruined and dispossessed circumstance, return to that same court to for a decision to have your constitutional right not to be unlawfully dispossessed reinstated and for an order of repossession as the legitimate owner.

King Leopold ll of Belgium exploitation and extraction of the Congo’s minerals and assets in conjunction with his resultant mutilation of the Congolese people who accepted that false hope strongly advises that such an offer should be soundly rejected as preposterous and absurd.

Even under the threat of committal, historical experience demands a prudence to be an environmental thermostat; maintain the status quo and fight your ownership battles while in possession of your land rather than vacating your land and thereby accept the fraud by relying on the favourable discretion or decision of a corrupted environment and culture that established the mechanisms to dispossessed you.

This is especially so with the expectation and knowledge that the action to reinstate your possession will naturally be resisted by the corrupted system’s newly imposed possessor as the coconspirator takes and benefits from the spoils.

Like the Cape Coast Castle dark slavery illusion of Ghana, the beneficiaries of these fraudulent schemes build the mirage of a castle, present themselves draped in costumes ruler ship and honour as they function above dungeons of doom and death.

The acceptance of such a proposal only leads to the “door of death” and “door of no return”!!

Source / Comment

The Bahamas Prime Minister, Philip 'Brave' Davis and the Challenging Modern Day Mandate of 'Camelot' - Sanctioned by the Bahamian Electorate

Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis enters a modern-day 'Camelot' in The Bahamas - ordained by The Bahamian People

By Dr Kevin Alcena 

                            "Camelot"

The legendary kingdom of King Arthur, immortalized in history and literature as a symbol of justice, nobility, wisdom, and enlightened leadership.  At the heart of Camelot stood the Round Table, a revolutionary institution where every knight sat as an equal, regardless of rank, wealth, or social standing.  The Round Table embodied the principles of equality, consultation, accountability, and service to the common good.  Its mandate was simple yet profound: to ensure that leadership was exercised not for personal gain but for the advancement and welfare of the people.

In many respects, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis enters a modern-day Camelot.  His administration has articulated a vision for national progress, economic empowerment, and social development that seeks to improve the lives of Bahamians.  Yet, as he embarks upon this new chapter, he must recognize that the highest calling of leadership is not merely to govern but to empower.  He must become a People’s Prime Minister—one whose policies, decisions, and aspirations are firmly rooted in the interests of the common man and woman.

Leadership has always been measured by service.  As Martin Luther King Jr. wisely observed, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”  The essence of public office is not privilege but responsibility.  It is the solemn duty of a leader to uplift the lives of those whom he serves.

The Bahamian people now look to their Prime Minister to advance a bold and transformative national agenda.  Economic development must remain a central pillar of this vision.  The government must cultivate an environment in which entrepreneurship flourishes and innovation thrives.  Excessive taxation and unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles should not stifle ambition or discourage investment.

Instead, strategic tax exemptions and incentives should be implemented to encourage entrepreneurs, small business owners, and investors to create enterprises that generate employment, wealth, and economic opportunity throughout the nation.

A modern Camelot must also embrace the transformative power of technology.  Artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and technological innovation possess the potential to revolutionize education, healthcare, governance, and commerce.

The digitalization of The Bahamas should not become an additional burden upon citizens and businesses; rather, it should serve as a catalyst for productivity, efficiency, and national competitiveness.  Technology must be harnessed to empower Bahamians, simplify government services, and unlock new avenues of prosperity for future generations.

The philosopher Voltaire understood the weight of leadership and responsibility.  As he famously stated, “With great power comes great responsibility.”  Leadership demands wisdom, restraint, and an unwavering commitment to the public good.  Likewise, Marcus Garvey declared, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”  As The Bahamas advances into a rapidly changing world, it must preserve its cultural heritage and national identity while simultaneously embracing modernization and progress.

Prime Minister Davis would do well to draw inspiration from King Arthur himself.  Arthur’s greatness did not arise solely from his authority as king but from his capacity to unite diverse individuals around a common purpose.  He valued counsel, encouraged participation, and recognized that leadership was strengthened—not diminished—when others were given a voice.  Through the Round Table, he institutionalized consultation, fairness, and shared responsibility.  These timeless principles remain essential to effective governance today.

The significance of the Round Table extends beyond mythology.  It symbolizes the idea that every citizen deserves a seat at the table of national development.  It reminds leaders that wisdom is not monopolized by the powerful and that the most durable governments are those that listen to their people.  The transition from a good leader to a great leader occurs when leadership evolves from the exercise of power into the empowerment of others.

It is equally imperative to acknowledge the profound historical significance of Prime Minister Brave Davis’s electoral accomplishment.  In securing victory in two consecutive general elections, he achieved a feat that had not been witnessed within the Bahamian political landscape for twenty-four years.

Such an achievement is not merely an electoral triumph; it is a powerful affirmation of public confidence, political legitimacy, and national trust.  The Bahamian electorate has once again vested in him the authority and responsibility to guide the nation through an increasingly complex global environment.

This renewed confidence constitutes what may aptly be described as a contemporary Mandate of Camelot—a covenant between the government and the governed founded upon the principles of prosperity, justice, opportunity, and national advancement.

The electorate has entrusted Prime Minister Davis with the stewardship of the Commonwealth, expecting not only competent administration but visionary leadership capable of transforming challenges into opportunities.

Yet history teaches that great mandates are accompanied by even greater obligations.  Electoral success must transcend political celebration and evolve into meaningful action.

The true measure of statesmanship is not found in the magnitude of victory but in the magnitude of service rendered to the people.  Therefore, this mandate must be utilized to cultivate economic dynamism, stimulate entrepreneurial innovation, accelerate technological modernization, strengthen educational opportunities, and expand pathways to prosperity for all Bahamians.

The legendary King Arthur, whose authority was strengthened by the wisdom of the Round Table rather than the power of the throne alone, Prime Minister Davis must continue to govern through consultation, inclusion, and consensus-building.  He must remain attentive to the aspirations of ordinary Bahamians, ensuring that national development is not concentrated among a privileged few but distributed equitably throughout society.

If Camelot represented the dream of a just and prosperous kingdom, then the modern Bahamas can aspire to become its own Camelot—a nation where opportunity is abundant, leadership is accountable, entrepreneurship is encouraged, technology serves the people, and every citizen has a meaningful stake in the country’s future.

The Bahamian people have bestowed upon Prime Minister Davis a historic mandate.  The challenge before him is to transform that mandate into a legacy.  By embracing the principles of Camelot—justice, equality, consultation, innovation, and service—he can elevate his premiership from one of political success to one of enduring historical significance.  In doing so, he will not simply govern the nation; he will help shape a more prosperous, equitable, and resilient Bahamas for generations to come.

As King Arthur demonstrated centuries ago, true greatness is not measured by authority alone but by the ability to inspire, unite, and empower a people toward a common purpose.  The people have spoken.  The mandate has been granted.  The question now is whether this modern Camelot can fulfill its promise for every Bahamian citizen.

As Prime Minister Davis embarks upon this historic chapter, he would do well to remember the timeless words attributed to King Arthur: “The strength of the kingdom lies not in the crown, but in the people who wear its burdens and share its dreams.”

If he governs with wisdom, courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the common man, then his administration may be remembered not merely as a government that won elections, but as one that transformed a nation, expanded opportunity, strengthened democracy, and elevated the aspirations of an entire people.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but where leadership is guided by justice, wisdom, and service, a nation prospers and its people flourish.”  May this Mandate of Camelot be remembered not as a moment of political triumph, but as the beginning of a golden era of national renewal, economic empowerment, and enduring prosperity for all Bahamians.

Source / Comment

Michael Pintard is the Free National Movement (FNM) Problem!

The FNM Has a Michael Pintard Problem!!!!

By James Julmis

The Free National Movement has many problems, but one sits at the centre of them all: Michael Pintard.

After another national rejection, the FNM can no longer pretend that its problem is messaging, timing, money, or machinery.  Those things matter in politics, but leadership sits above all of them.  A party can recover from bad strategy.  A party can recover from poor campaign planning.  A party can recover from division.  What it cannot easily recover from is a leader the public has already decided against.

That is the political burden Michael Pintard now carries.

The Bahamian people have listened to him.  They have watched him.  They have measured him.  They have seen him in Parliament, on the campaign trail, in press conferences, and in moments when serious leadership was required.  Their answer has been clear.  They have declined to follow him.

That is the hard truth the FNM must now face.

Pintard has struggled to connect with ordinary Bahamians because he often sounds like a man speaking at people rather than with them.  His politics feels rehearsed, distant, and overly calculated.  He talks about the people, but he has failed to make the people feel that he truly knows their daily lives, their pressures, their fears, and their hopes.

Politics is about trust.  It is about whether people can look at a leader and say, “That person understands me.”  With Pintard, too many Bahamians see performance without connection.  They see volume without warmth.  They see criticism without comfort.  They see ambition without a clear reason to believe.

This is why the FNM has a Pintard problem.

The party may want to blame the PLP.  It may want to blame the timing of the election.  It may want to blame the media, the voters, or the national mood.  But none of that changes the result.  The public looked at the choice placed before them and decided that Michael Pintard was unready to lead the country.

That judgment cannot be brushed aside.

The FNM must ask itself a serious question: if Michael Pintard could not persuade the country after years in opposition, after repeated opportunities to define himself, and after a campaign built around removing the government, what evidence is there that the public will suddenly see him differently?

There comes a point when a party must stop protecting a leader from political reality.

Pintard’s weakness is deeper than one election cycle.  It is about temperament, image, connection, and credibility.  He has never found a language that reaches beyond the FNM base.  He has never fully settled the question of who he is as a national leader.  He has never made Bahamians feel that he carries the emotional weight of the country.

That is why he remains limited.

The Bahamian people may disagree with the government on issues.  They may complain about the cost of living, crime, bureaucracy, and the pressure of daily life.  But disagreement with the government does automatically become support for the opposition.  The FNM assumed public frustration would be enough. It was wrong.

People may want better.  That does not mean they want Pintard.

This is the central failure of his leadership.  He has been unable to turn public concern into public confidence.  He has been unable to turn criticism of the government into belief in himself.  He has been unable to make the FNM feel like a government-in-waiting.

That is a personal political failure.

The FNM must now decide whether it wants to keep managing Pintard’s image or begin rebuilding the party.  It cannot do both.  A party serious about renewal must be honest about why the public pulled away.  It must listen to what the country has already said.

Bahamians have made their judgment.

They do not see Michael Pintard as the answer.

And until the FNM accepts that, it will continue to confuse movement with progress, noise with leadership, and opposition with readiness.

The FNM has a Michael Pintard problem.

The longer it denies it, the longer it will remain exactly where the Bahamian people have placed it: in opposition.

Source / Comment

Dr. Andre Rollins for FNM leader

The Free National Movement (FNM) needs New Leadership!

Rolling with Rollins for FNM Leader

By Dennis A. Dames

The blessed smoke of the 2026 general election in The Bahamas has officially cleared, and a lot about it is being heard quietly and vociferously here, there and everywhere.

The opposition Free National Movement (FNM) has some bold and popular adjustments to make - no doubt.  The main one concerns the party’s leadership moving forward to the next general election.  In my view, the entire present leadership of the FNM has got to go.

I have been intensely contemplating the question about the next leader of the FNM - the one whom I feel is the most fit and qualified among the elected members of the party.

I must testify that the good Lord moves in mysterious ways, as I wondered how Dr. Andre Rollins got that Long Island FNM nomination.  Now I have the gut feeling that Dr. Rollins is best fit for the new leader of the FNM.

Dr. Andre Rollins should be crowned FNM leader as soon as possible; and the official campaign for the next general election should immediately follow.

Indeed, search for and welcome more Lincoln Deal and Michaela Barnett-Ellis in the FNM front-line fold - and dump the dead weights without mercy and delay.

The Timing Question of The Bahamas 2026 General Election

THE BAHAMAS GENERAL ELECTION 2026 - CONSTITUTIONAL TIMING & POLITICAL REALITY: WHY NOW?

By Craig F. Butler

Let’s deal with this clearly and honestly.

If the House of Assembly first sat on 6 October 2021, then the constitutional position is straightforward:

• Five-year life of Parliament: ends around 5 October 2026

  

• Election window after that: up to 90 days

  

• Absolute constitutional outer limit: early January 2027

So let’s kill the noise:

- There is no requirement to call an election now.

  

- The Prime Minister had time well into late 2026, and even beyond into the constitutional window.

So why call it now?

This is where politics meets timing.  The national budget cycle is the real driver.

• Budget must be presented before July 1

  

• That means budget debate occupies June

  

• And budget debate is not light work—it is a full exposure of:

  – Government spending  

  – Overruns  

  – Travel expenditure  

  – Consultant usage  

  – Programme delivery vs promises  

In short:

A budget debate forces the government to account for everything.

The Strategic Calculation

If you:

• claim hundreds of promises delivered, and

  

• have areas of pressure (cost of living, crime, healthcare), and

  

• carry visible overruns (travel, operational spending, etc.),

then the last thing you want is a full month of structured parliamentary scrutiny immediately before an election.

Because that debate would not be campaign rhetoric.

It would be:

- numbers  

- line-by-line exposure  

- hard questioning on delivery vs claims

So the timing makes sense.  Calling the election before the budget cycle does three things:

• Avoids a prolonged public dissection of government finances

  

• Prevents the opposition from weaponizing budget details

  

• Keeps the campaign on narrative, not forensic accounting

Bottom Line

This is not about constitutional necessity.  This is about political timing.

The Constitution allowed more time.  The calendar created pressure.  The budget would have created exposure.

So the election is called before the numbers take center stage.

Understand the Constitution. Understand the calendar.  Then understand the decision.

Sunday April 12 2026 

Time 12:01 AM EST

Source / Comments

Voting Rights in The Bahamas

VOTING IN THE BAHAMAS: THERE IS NO ENGLISH-LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT TO VOTE

By Craig Butler, Esq.

Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas

There appears to be continued public confusion, and in some quarters active political misstatement, concerning whether a person must be able to speak English in order to vote in The Bahamas.

Let this be stated plainly:

There is no provision in the Constitution of The Bahamas requiring a voter to speak English in order to vote.  Voting rights in this jurisdiction are tied to legal eligibility, not language proficiency.

Under the constitutional and statutory framework, the relevant qualifications concern citizenship, age, and proper registration on the electoral roll.  A qualified voter must be a citizen of The Bahamas, at least eighteen years of age, and duly registered in accordance with the electoral law.  There is no separate constitutional or statutory condition imposing English-language ability as a prerequisite to the franchise.

That distinction is important.

The right to vote is not made dependent upon eloquence, accent, literacy style, or spoken fluency in English.  Any suggestion to the contrary is not a statement of Bahamian law.  It is political rhetoric masquerading as legal rule.

The Constitution does not condition citizenship-based franchise rights on language ability.  Nor does the Parliamentary Elections framework create such a bar.  The legal question is eligibility.  It is not linguistic preference.

Accordingly, any public claim that a Bahamian citizen must speak English in order to vote should be recognized for what it is: misinformation, political spin, or constitutional illiteracy.

This matter should not be clouded by emotion or opportunistic nationalism.  If there is to be public debate about changing the law, let that debate be honest and explicit.  But until such a change is lawfully made, the law remains what it is.

And what it is, is this:

Voting in The Bahamas is not language-based.  It is citizenship-based, age-based, and registration-based.

That is the legal position.  That remains the constitutional position.  And the public deserves clarity, not confusion.

Key Points for the Public

 • There is no English-speaking requirement for voting in The Bahamas.

 • Voting rights are tied to citizenship, age, and voter registration.

 • Claims that English proficiency is legally required are false.

 • Political opinion is not constitutional law.

Tuesday, 7 April 2026

10:18 PM

Source / Comment

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.

Source / Comment

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.

Source / Comment

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. ❤️

Source / Comment

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.

Source / Comment

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.

Source / Comment

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.

Source / Comment

Brittany Harris writes the Canadian Prime Minister on the Appointment of Mr. Clayton Fernander; The Bahamas Consul General to Canada

I wrote the Mark Carney Prime Minister of Canada 🇨🇦and the Minister of Foreign Affairs

 

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing as a concerned member of the public to respectfully request that the Government of Canada undertake an appropriate review and investigation into the appointment and presence in Canada of Mr. Clayton Fernander, former Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, who is currently serving as Consul General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Canada.

This request is made in the interest of transparency, public confidence, and the integrity of Canada’s diplomatic and national security standards.

Mr. Fernander resigned from his position as Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force in December 2024.  His resignation followed significant public controversy surrounding serious criminal matters that arose under his leadership and are now before the courts.

During Mr. Fernander’s tenure as Commissioner, the following documented and factual events occurred:

- United States federal indictments were issued against senior officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force for drug and firearms trafficking, with those officers arrested and prosecuted in New York.  These matters are before the United States courts and occurred while Mr. Fernander was Commissioner.

- Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, then head of the Criminal Investigations Unit, was removed from his position following the public release of voice recordings involving the bribery of a known criminal figure connected to a million-dollar armoured truck robbery.  This matter is also before the courts.

- The killing of Mr. Azario Major, an unarmed Bahamian man who was shot and killed by police officers.  This incident has been the subject of public inquiry, judicial proceedings, and documentary examination, and has significantly impacted public trust in law enforcement leadership during that period.

In addition to the above, I wish to clearly distinguish the following as allegations, which I respectfully ask Canadian authorities to independently assess:

- There have long been allegations within Bahamian and Canadian law-enforcement and community circles regarding a close relationship between Mr. Fernander and Daran Neely, also known as “Monster,” an alleged gang leader associated with the so-called “Dirty South Gang.”

- This gang has been linked to violent criminal activity, including a serious robbery-murder in Windsor, Ontario, involving Bahamian nationals.

- It has been alleged that Mr. Neely benefited from protection during Mr. Fernander’s tenure as Commissioner.  Following Mr. Fernander’s resignation, that protection allegedly ceased, and Mr. Neely was later killed.  These points are presented strictly as allegations for the purpose of requesting independent review.

It is also a matter of public record that Mr. Fernander maintains a close personal relationship with the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the Right Honourable Philip Edward Davis.  Despite Mr. Fernander’s resignation amid public outcry and ongoing court matters involving senior officers under his leadership, he was subsequently appointed to a senior diplomatic post in Canada.

In light of the seriousness of these facts and concerns, I respectfully request:

1. A review of the vetting and acceptance process that led to Mr. Fernander’s appointment as Consul General in Canada.

2. An assessment by appropriate Canadian authorities of whether his presence and role are consistent with Canada’s standards for diplomatic engagement, public safety, and the rule of law.

3. That relevant national security, law-enforcement, and foreign-affairs agencies be permitted to independently examine the court records, indictments, and public materials related to the above matters.

This letter does not seek to assert guilt, but rather to request due diligence, accountability, and transparency.  Canada’s reputation for upholding democratic values and the rule of law makes such a review both reasonable and necessary.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I trust this matter will receive the seriousness it warrants.

Respectfully,

Brittany Harris  

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Source / Comment