Премьер-министр Багамских Островов отказался отвечать на вопросы журналистов о коррупционных скандалах и нецелевом расходовании средств

During his first administration, Prime Minister Philip Davis proved to be an unaccountable prime minister. He disregarded his party’s commitment to full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and ignored calls for transparency on a wide range of matters in the public interest. Notwitstanding this, his party was reelected to govern. On Friday, reporters asked him about reports that his government had awarded housing contracts to Warren “Spy” Ellis, who was infamous for his high-profile run-ins with the law over decades — and that’s putting it mildly. Ellis was shot dead in chilling and brutal fashion in Abaco last week. Responding to reporters, Davis asked, “What’s the factual basis to answer that question? Tell me where you got that information from and I’ll deal with it. I’m tired of these allegations, man. Why don’t y’all ask me about how Upskill Bahamas is impacting the Bahamian people? Why don’t y’all ask me how the food breakfast program is assisting our people? Why don’t you ask me about some of the initiatives that we have?” The prime minister seems to think the role of media in a democracy is to be the government’s mouthpiece and PR arm. His administration has spent many millions on public relations, in some cases squandering the people’s money on what were obviously campaign activities. We have repeatedly informed our readers on Upskill Bahamas with multiple articles since the program was established, incuding a July article on participants who completed the program. In June, we also reported on “Two million breakfasts served at primary schools” with multiple photographs of the prime minister celebrating this milestone. In one editorial, we stated, “Breakfast programs can encourage better school attendance rates. When students know they can access a free meal at school, they are more likely to arrive on time and regularly attend class.” So in addition to highlighting positive initiatives of this administration, we are duty bound to ask the hard questions. Davis is duty bound to provide answers. The prime minister’s response to reporters on Friday did not come off well. Sensibly, the Ministry of Housing last night provided an answer, advising that its record reflected that there is no record of Ellis being awarded any contracts. We will again highlight a few other questions the prime minister has yet to answer: What is the status of the $700 million transfered to the National Investment Fund (NIF) and when did the board of the NIF establish the acount into which it was transferred, and where is the Central Bank-approved account located? Where is the resolution authorizing the borrowing of $700 million in “excess funds”? Who authoritized the building vouchers that ended up under the name of a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate in Abaco? While he is at it, Davis should answer this: Did the government receive $120 million for the sale of Grand Lucayan? When and what was done with the money? He should also answer: Why is there no work on the Grand Bahama airport though the government said before the election contractors were mobilized? Why given the fiscal state of affairs you brag about are so many Bahamian vendors unpaid or struggling to receive full payment? What does Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) get paid $8 million per month for, especially if you said that Bahamas Power and Light’s (BPL) overtime is due to that company doing BGC’s work? Over the past three years, your administration provided over $380 million in “loans” to BPL. Can you please tell the Bahamian people what this $380 million was spent on? Why was there a need to increase BPL’s employee headcount from around 860 in 2021 to now over 1,300 in 2026? Why did Pike leave a 25-year deal after only a couple years? Was the government ever able to transfer the T&D assets to BGC? If not, why not? What is the status of the $250,000 a month contract with MAGA lobbyists, and what specific purpose were they contracted for? We can go on, but we do not have enough newsprint for all the unanswered questions under the Davis administration. A year and a half ago, we requested a sit down interview with the prime minister. We submitted questions as his office requested, but he clearly wants PR, not accountability—not serious journalism. Davis can lecture the media all he wants on what we “should” ask him, but if he is serious about true transparency, he would provide answers on the many other questions we have repeatedly asked. He ought not insult our intelligence with diversion, obfuscation and partronizing behavior. We are long over it.