Fred Mitchell is at it again — and once again the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) seems unable to distinguish between political debate and outright theatrical character assassination.

We have come to know Mitchell as having very little respect as he has turned into a bitter old man, this was seen in 2023 as Mitchell showed little to no respect to Dame Pindling a wreath laying ceremony on Memorial Day.  This time, the target of Mitchell’s latest disrespect through dramatic monologue is none other than former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, along with Michael Pintard, Duane Sands and practically anyone else associated with the Free National Movement. I mean why not just take all along for your ride, right Mr. Mitchell?

Apparently, in Mitchell’s world, the mere sight of Ingraham speaking at an FNM rally now qualifies as “bringing a man back from the grave.” One would think the PLP Chairman was announcing a séance rather than reacting to a political speech.

But beneath the overacting and insults lies something far more revealing: panic.

Because when the PLP cannot defend its own record, it resorts to attacking personalities, rewriting history, and hoping volume replaces credibility. Mitchell’s comments were not the words of a confident governing party. They were the words of a political operator desperately trying to diminish the image of Pintard, Sands, Ingraham, and the wider FNM because the PLP understands something very clearly — Bahamians are beginning to compare records again.

And comparisons are dangerous things for this administration.

Mitchell attempted to dismiss concerns raised by Sands regarding the government’s curious “arrangement” involving Leslie Miller. Yet despite all the PLP outrage, the central question still remains unanswered. If there is no special arrangement, then why does every explanation coming from the government sound like it was assembled five minutes before a press conference?

Bahamians remember well that Miller reportedly sought financing through the Bank of The Bahamas during the Christie administration and was unsuccessful. Reports also circulated that similar efforts failed under the Minnis administration. Yet somehow, under the Davis administration, the matter suddenly found an almost smooth landing strip.

Mitchell may dislike the questions, but irritation is not clarification.

And then there is the ballot box controversy — perhaps the most telling portion of this entire episode.

Mitchell insists the movement of ballot boxes was “normal procedure.” Fine. If it was so normal, then why did the situation trigger such visible alarm and confrontation? Why were concerns raised not only by the FNM, but also publicly by figures such as Jobeth Coleby-Davis on the day of early election and others who questioned the timing, handling, and communication surrounding the exercise?

More importantly:

Why were the boxes moved at that particular time?

Why was the notice reportedly so short?

And why were all political parties not given sufficient advance warning to ensure complete transparency and public confidence?

Those are not extremist questions. Those are democratic questions.

Mitchell wants Bahamians to believe that simply because parties were “eventually notified,” everyone should quietly accept the process without scrutiny. That is not how electoral confidence works in a mature democracy. Transparency is not something governments provide after public outrage; it is something ensured before controversy begins.

And if everything was so perfectly routine, then what exactly happened in Elizabeth involving the confrontation reportedly surrounding senior Parliamentary Registration Department officials? Strange behaviour for people supposedly witnessing an entirely ordinary administrative exercise.

The deeper irony here is that Mitchell and the PLP continue trying to portray the FNM as reckless or dangerous while simultaneously displaying visible hostility whenever legitimate concerns are raised. The government seems to believe that asking questions is somehow an act of political aggression.

It is not.

What Bahamians are witnessing is a governing party increasingly uncomfortable with scrutiny and increasingly dependent on distortion to protect the Prime Minister from criticism.

Mitchell insists Pintard needs protection. In reality, it appears to be Prime Minister Philip Davis who is surrounded by protectors — political loyalists willing to dismiss concerns, attack critics, and stretch credibility in defense of the administration.

The FNM does not need to “protect” Pintard from Fred Mitchell’s commentary. Bahamians have heard Mitchell for decades. They know the performance by now.

The real issue is whether this government can answer straightforward questions without turning every criticism into a dramatic political sideshow. Because the louder the PLP becomes, the more it sounds like a government trying to drown out transparency and accountability with noise.

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) fails for one reason; it is their nature.

END