The headline in The Nassau Guardian reads: “Unrest at BPL – Dispute on overtime erupts – BEWU trade dispute; wants Alston gone.”

According to the report, the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) filed a trade dispute with the Ministry of Labour on August 11, 2026, after Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) implemented a new overtime policy earlier this week. The dispute comes at a time when the country is already grappling with persistent power outages and growing frustration over the state of the nation’s electricity provider.

Whether one agrees with the union’s position or not, the fact remains that industrial unrest at BPL is the last thing Bahamians need while the corporation struggles to stabilize an already fragile system.

But while the overtime dispute dominates the headlines, another issue deserves attention.

Former PLP MP Leslie Miller recently expressed concern about what he described as a new breed of political activist operating within the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), whom he has labelled “Political mercenaries”. He questioned where some of these individuals came from, why they appear so quick to attack anyone who disagrees with the party, and why so much political discussion has descended into hostility, insults, and personal attacks.

It is a fair question.

It appears that BEWU President Kyle Wilson had already become the target of aggressive attacks from some of the party’s most vocal online supporters, something new for Mr. Miller to question the PLP party about.

Yet with all due respect to Mr. Miller, the answer may be far simpler than he thinks.

The people he is questioning did not arrive by boat, parachute, or divine intervention. They did not sneak into the PLP under the cover of darkness. They were invited in through the front door.

For years, some of the loudest and most aggressive political personalities on social media have been publicly embraced, celebrated, and defended by senior figures within the party. These individuals were often described as “foot soldiers” fighting for the cause. They were praised when they attacked political opponents. They were applauded when they dominated social media discussions. They were rewarded with recognition when they carried the party’s message into every online battlefield.

Now, suddenly, some within the PLP appear shocked that a few of these same individuals feel empowered enough to challenge party officials, issue public ultimatums, attack union leaders, and behave as though they are entitled to dictate the party’s direction.

But entitlement does not develop in a vacuum. It grows when it is encouraged. It flourishes when it is rewarded. And it becomes entrenched when those at the top decide that political loyalty is more valuable than political discipline.

That is why Mr. Miller may be looking for answers in the wrong place.

If he truly wants to understand how this culture developed, he may wish to start by examining the leadership that helped cultivate it. The names most often associated with publicly praising and encouraging these political warriors are not names from outside the party. They are names from within it.

Prime Minister Philip Davis. Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell. Former Senator Jerome Fitzgerald.

These are among the figures who have publicly acknowledged and praised many of the party’s most energetic online defenders over the years.

So, if Mr. Miller is wondering where these so-called “political mercenaries” came from, the answer may not be found on Facebook, WhatsApp, or social media platforms.

The answer may be found much closer to home.

After all, when someone walks through the front door, it is usually because somebody opened it.

The Bahamas deserves better.

END