It would hardly be decent—or necessary—for me to accuse the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government of deliberately misleading the Bahamian people about the Grand Lucayan Resort. One does not need to allege bad faith when sheer ineptitude, incompetence, and administrative laziness provide a far more reasonable explanation.

The reality is painfully clear to the workers on Grand Bahama who are now pleading with the government to simply be honest with them—to tell them the truth so they can make life-altering decisions about seeking other employment. As reported by The Nassau Guardian in “Worries grow on Grand Lucayan,” the so-called “turning point” deal announced with great fanfare in May has produced exactly nothing. No construction. No redevelopment activity. No economic revival. What it has produced instead is delayed pay checks, reduced workweeks, and a fully shuttered resort.

Employees deemed “essential” are now working two days a week to maintain a property where nothing is happening, while payroll delays have become routine. The Chief Financial Officer’s apologetic emails, citing “circumstances beyond our control,” have become the most tangible output of a government that promised transparency and accountability but has delivered silence and excuses instead.

This is not an isolated incident. It is a pattern.

The Grand Lucayan deal is now the second major agreement inherited from the former Free National Movement (FNM) government that the Davis-led PLP cancelled, only to leave the public in the dark about what—if anything—replaced it. The first was the ongoing renovation and upgrade of the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), for which funding was already in place. That money was actually sent back by the PLP government, only for the same administration to later cry foul over crumbling healthcare infrastructure while borrowing anew for a specialty hospital that does not even address core emergency services. To this day, the Critical Care Block at PMH remains incomplete under PLP stewardship.

Now, the people of Grand Bahama are once again left in limbo, and the wider Bahamian public is expected to accept press releases and photo-ops as substitutes for progress. Deals are announced. Heads of agreement are signed. Promises are made. And then—nothing happens.

This is governance by illusion, where announcements are mistaken for action and accountability is perpetually “forthcoming.” The failure is not accidental. It is systemic. The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason only: it is their nature.

END

Early yesterday morning, Fred Mitchell—Chairman of the “New Day” Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and part-time narrator of political ghost stories—decided to warm up the country for the government’s latest borrowing binge: a tidy $201 million for a new “speciality hospital.” And, of course, in classic Mitchell fashion, he also attempted to predict the Opposition’s objections… because nothing says “transparent governance” like a pre-emptive blame-fest.

So out came the same old tale he dusts off whenever he needs to scare Bahamians into line: the spooky story of how the Free National Movement (FNM) once opposed “advancements in healthcare.” According to Mitchell’s folklore, the FNM didn’t just oppose NHI—they single-handedly strangled it, suffocated it, and left Bahamians to hold cookouts for medical expenses.

It’s the same script, just with a new dramatic reading.

What he didn’t tell the people—because why let reality ruin a perfectly good scare tactic?—is that the PLP absolutely did pass NHI… without the small technical detail of how to pay for it. Funding mechanism? Too risky before an election. So, the great PLP “healthcare revolution” stalled—not because of the “vicked FNM,” but because the PLP didn’t have the courage to stand behind its own tax implications.

But, again, why tell the truth when blame is free?

And then there’s the FNM’s actual historic position on NHI, which Mitchell selectively forgets every time he speaks:

FNM’s actual concerns about the 2006 NHI Bill:
• They supported the principle of healthcare access
• They opposed a poorly drafted, cost-mystified, last-minute plan with no transparency
• They objected to zero consultation, sloppy legislation, poor administrative capacity, and bad timing
• And yes—the bill was so full of errors it needed editing, not applause

But fast-forward to today, and the New Day government has discovered its new scarecrow: “If you don’t support borrowing $201 million, you’re against healthcare.”
How convenient.

Prime Minister Philip Davis is now using the kind of crafty language that makes Gambier House proud—framing this loan as the ONLY sane path to healthcare salvation, while hoping no one remembers that the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) is already undergoing massive renovations and new construction works.

Renovations which began under the previous FNM government.

Renovations which seemed to have been reviewed, stalled, and seemingly cancelled under the  New day PLP government.

Renovations for which funding was left in place.

So the real question is:

What happened to the money that was already allocated to modernize PMH?

Because somehow the funds that could have continued or completed the PMH upgrades have magically transformed into a $201 million-justified loan for a brand-new specialty hospital. A specialty hospital, by the way, that does not even meet the needs of a full major medical facility—but sure, let’s mortgage the country anyway.

And yet, the Prime Minister insists that “incremental fixes” are not working.

Yes, Prime Minister—“incremental fixes” do not work.
But the FNM was not doing incremental fixes. They were doing full-scale renovations, expansions, and modernization of the national hospital you now pretend does not exist.

Cherry-picking language does not make your argument clever—it just makes it crafty. And that is exactly the kind of wording that the New Day relies on to guide the unsuspecting into thinking this $201 million loan is the only path forward.

As for the article trumpeting the big loan:

“The government intends to borrow $201 million from the Export-Import Bank of China to construct a hospital… Considering the state of PMH, it is abundantly clear that a new facility was needed.”

Needed? Or politically convenient?

Because here’s what’s actually abundantly clear:

The New Day government is pretending PMH’s upgrades do not exist so they can justify a loan they’ve already decided to take.

They tout a new 200-bed women’s and children’s hospital with “green spaces for holistic healing”—lovely, peaceful, and utterly irrelevant to the critical needs of a national hospital bursting at the seams.

And still not a word—not a syllable—from the Prime Minister about:

• What will happen to the massive PMH works already underway
• Why those works were slowed, altered, or cancelled
• What happened to the money allocated for those upgrades
• Why borrowed funds couldn’t finish PMH
• Why the country must instead commit to a loan for a facility that cannot replace PMH’s capacity

Instead, we get theatrics, ghost stories, revisionist history, and a “New Day” government hoping that a shiny new project will distract from old, uncomfortable questions.

Questions like:

Why are we borrowing $201 million for a specialty hospital for a few while ignoring, delaying, or cancelling the modernization of the national hospital we already have for the many?

But I suppose when you don’t want to answer the real questions, a spooky story about the FNM is easier to tell.

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

END

One of the first things anyone with a pulse noticed the day after the Golden Isles by-election was that voter turnout was low. Naturally, the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) treated this like a personal insult to their “great” victory and promptly launched into an Olympic-level gymnastics routine to explain why only around half of registered voters bothered to show up.

And then came their proclamation:

“Here are the facts.”

Whenever the PLP starts a sentence like that, you really should tighten your seatbelt, grab the dashboard, and hope your insurance covers political whiplash. Because I’ve long realized there are facts, and then there are PLP facts—and the two have never been caught in the same room.

According to the PLP’s freshly baked narrative, the voter register—established in 2016—shouldn’t be trusted because apparently thousands of Golden Isles voters have scattered like witnesses leaving a crime scene over the past nine years. Never mind that the Parliamentary Commissioner exists precisely to maintain that register.

The PLP insists that, thanks to their five-week door-to-door safari, they discovered the real number of eligible voters is somewhere between 5,200 and 5,500. Voilà! With their newly invented denominator, suddenly turnout wasn’t a bleak 49 percent—it was a heroic 70 percent! And with that, the PLP proudly declared that their supporters “answered the call.”

Beautiful story. Almost touching. Except for one tiny detail:

It directly contradicts the Parliamentary Commissioner himself.

Harrison Thompson—the man legally responsible for the voter register—did not mince words. He was, in his own phrasing, “baffled” by the low turnout. Not reassured. Not impressed. Not spinning gold from straw. Baffled.

From The Nassau Guardian:

Of the 7,926 registered voters in Golden Isles, only 3,884 showed up.

Turnout: 49 percent.

Not 70.

Not 80.

Not whatever number the PLP cooked up in their backroom kitchen.

Thompson even emphasized:

The 7,926 people do live in Golden Isles.

The register is cleaned daily.

Over 16,000 names have been removed since 2017.

They expected more voters because all attention was on a single constituency.

So, unless we assume the Parliamentary Commissioner is incompetent (which the PLP would never say out loud—though their “facts” strongly imply it), then the PLP’s alternative reality looks suspiciously like political creative writing.

But the New Day PLP—true to form—expects Bahamians to ignore the Parliamentary Commissioner, ignore the numbers, ignore the laws governing elections, and simply trust them. Because nothing says “New Day” quite like telling the public, “Don’t believe the official responsible for elections; believe us—we canvassed for five weeks.”

I’m not saying the PLP doesn’t understand something. I’m just asking: are they seriously telling us that the man who manages the register, cleans it daily, and oversees the voting process… is wrong?

The Bahamas deserves better.

Déjà Vu at BPL: When “Risky and Ill-Conceived” Suddenly Becomes “Visionary”

Look who’s suddenly rediscovered the magic of “fuel hedging.”
Today it’s being reported that Bahamas Power and Light’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Anthony Christie, proudly announced that BPL is “exploring fuel hedging options.” You know, those same options that apparently ensure “consistent fuel availability” and “mitigate price volatility.” In other words, the exact reasons the last administration had the program in place in the first place.

Forgive me if I don’t burst into applause — because haven’t we been down this road before?

This is the same Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government that, under then-Minister Alfred Sears, let the previous fuel-hedging program expire while everyone in Cabinet pointed fingers at “whose desk the file was on.” Remember that? They didn’t exactly cancel it — they just forgot to renew it, which in government-speak means: we cancelled it, but quietly.

At the time, the official line was that the hedging program was “risky, ill-conceived, and not workable.” Strong words — until global oil prices went up, electricity bills skyrocketed, and Bahamians started asking why their light bills looked like mortgage payments. Suddenly, that “risky” FNM idea didn’t seem so bad after all.

And now, here comes Anthony Christie at a fancy BICA conference, re-introducing hedging like it’s some brand-new breakthrough. “Fuel management and financial strategies to deliver stable energy,” he says. “Mitigate price volatility,” he says.
Funny — that’s almost word for word what the Free National Movement (FNM) said when they launched the same strategy years ago. I would say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but in this case it’s more like a desperate case of political amnesia.

But let’s be fair — maybe Mr. Christie is just the messenger. The real decision-makers — the ones who love being in front of the cameras, full of soundbites and slogans about “a New Day” — are nowhere to be found. Because how do you face the public and admit that you killed a working program, watched bills explode, and then had to sheepishly bring it back like nothing ever happened?

The PLP government has effectively performed the political equivalent of deleting an assignment, failing the course, and then photocopying your classmate’s old homework just to pass the resit. And we, the Bahamian people, are the ones paying the tuition.

So yes, welcome back to fuel hedging — the policy that once was “too risky,” now apparently “essential.”
It’s about time.
But let’s not kid ourselves: this isn’t innovation. It’s a U-turn wrapped in a press release.

Still, if it finally brings some relief to Bahamians tired of choosing between air conditioning and groceries — I’ll take it. Just don’t call it a “New Day.”
Call it what it really is: The last administration’s idea, the New Day PLP administraion’s salvation, and tomorrow’s press conference.

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) fails for one reason; it is their nature and people of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas deserve better.

END

The PLP — masters of the political moonwalk. One step forward, two steps back, and a quick spin to pretend they never said what they just said… even when it’s on tape.

So now we have Deputy Leader of the New Day PLP, Chester Cooper, scrambling to explain away Darron Pickstock’s very clear, very honest, very oops-I-said-the-truth moment — where he admitted that Golden Isles has been neglected. Cooper says, “Oh, he’s new to politics, just trying to build his brand.”

Translation: He accidentally told the truth before getting the memo.

And honestly, if you’re looking to “establish your brand,” there’s no better way than trashing the record of your own party and then pretending you “misspoke.” It’s practically the PLP initiation ritual at this point — tell the truth, regret it, then hold a press conference to say you were “misunderstood.”

Let’s recap what Mr. Pickstock originally said — that people in Golden Isles “are not asking for the world,” just “someone who listens, shows up, and gets things done.” Seems fair, right? But apparently, that’s a revolutionary concept for the PLP.

Then came the clean-up crew. Suddenly, Pickstock wasn’t “blaming” anyone; he was just talking about “responsibility.” Because nothing says “responsibility” like pretending the past four years of neglect never happened.

Sorry, Darron, but that political spin cycle isn’t fooling anyone. You can wash, rinse, and repeat your statement all you like, but that stench of truth isn’t coming out. You said it because it’s true — Golden Isles has been ignored by the New Day PLP government, and everyone knows it.

Now the PLP wants the people of Golden Isles to hand them the keys again — the same folks who’ve left the lights unfixed, the roads unpaved, and the parks unsafe for kids. That’s not “a New Day,” that’s Groundhog Day.

Golden Isles doesn’t need another empty promise wrapped in a press release. They need representation that actually shows up — and that person is Brian Brown. He’s been there, he’s listened, and he knows the needs of the community because he’s part of it.

The PLP says “trust us this time.” But remember — fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, I must be voting PLP again.

So, residents of Golden Isles, don’t get played by the same old script. Don’t let the spin doctor’s gaslight you into believing neglect is progress. Vote for Brian Brown and the FNM — because the only thing the PLP seems to fix reliably these days… is their own mistakes.

The people of Golden Isles deserve better; they deserve Brain Brown.

END

At first, everyone said, “Darron who?” But now that we’ve gotten to know the New Day Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP’s) candidate for Golden Isles a little better… it seems he’s the one who forgot which political organization he’s representing.

In a headline that could’ve been pulled straight from the Opposition’s press office — “State of Neglect” — The Nassau Guardian reports that PLP candidate Darron Pickstock spent his nomination day describing how the very constituency his own party has represented for over four years has been “ignored” and “neglected.”

Yes, you heard that right. The PLP candidate is campaigning by pointing out how terrible the PLP has been at governing his area. It’s almost poetic — if irony could vote, it’d be in line at the polls right now.

Standing on a rally stage after his nomination at Anatol Rodgers High School, Pickstock declared:

“I am tired of people being ignored… I’m tired of people calling for help and getting excuses… I’m tired of seeing our community wait years for simple things — a fixed streetlight, a paved road, a safe park for kids.”

Powerful words — until you remember that the PLP has been in power this whole time. It’s like a firefighter complaining there’s too much fire while holding the hose.

And then, as if to hammer home the point, he posts photos of himself fixing basketball rims — which, while commendable, raises another question: is that policy now? Should we expect the next PLP candidate to show up with a toolbox and a can of paint?

But let’s not overlook the most awkward part: Golden Isles wasn’t vacant because the PLP lost it — it’s vacant because of the untimely passing of the late Vaughn Miller, a man who represented the PLP in this very constituency. May he rest in peace.

So, when Pickstock says the area has been “ignored,” is he really talking about the opposition? Or is he… throwing the late Vaughn Miller under the bus to make himself look like a reformer?

Has the PLP leadership given him the green light to run over their own record — and their own former MP — in the name of “real progress”? Or will we soon hear that Pickstock “misspoke,” the universal PLP code for “he said the quiet part out loud”?

If this is the strategy — admitting the PLP’s own neglect and blaming it on the departed — then Golden Isles voters might reasonably ask: if this is how they treat their own, how do you think they’ll treat you?

Because if the New Day looks this much like yesterday’s neglect, maybe the sun never actually rose.

END

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis continues his crusade to convince the good, right-thinking citizens of Golden Isles that they should elect Darron—wait, who?—Pickstock. Yes, that’s the typical reaction you’ll get when his name is mentioned in conversation: “Who is that again?”

According to The Nassau Guardian, the Prime Minister told PLPs, “We need this seat.” Apparently, that’s now a sufficient qualification for leadership—being needed by the party, not known by the people.

Let’s recall the scene: Davis, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his ever-faithful Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper and the Senator Darron Pickstock, declared that this election is “a test of whether we still believe in progress, steady hands, and sound judgment.”

A fair statement, Mr. Prime Minister—except your choice of candidate suggests that your definition of “sound judgment” has gone missing somewhere between Western Grand Bahama and Golden Isles.

Because really—who is this man you’re asking Bahamians to trust with their future? This isn’t the first time Davis has rolled out an unknown and called him a visionary. Remember Kingsley Smith of Western Grand Bahama and Bimini fame—or rather, infamy? The people there sure do, and not fondly. The man has been so invisible that locals now joke that “ghost” is the most fitting word to describe their MP.

The whispers from PLP headquarters are that Smith won’t be re-nominated in the next election, which would be a mercy for his constituents. But here we are again, watching history attempt to repeat itself—this time with Pickstock as the sequel nobody asked for.

Davis insists that not electing Pickstock would somehow “send the country backward” and “halt the progress” of his administration. Oh yes, that mystical progress—the same one that’s been as hard to find as these candidates’ track records.

If this is what “steady hands” and “sound judgment” look like, then perhaps the brakes should be applied before the nation’s so-called “progress” runs completely off the road.

The people of The Bahamas deserve better than being told to trust a Prime Minister who keeps endorsing strangers and calling them saviours. Because right now, it looks less like “building a fairer, stronger Bahamas” and more like playing political roulette—with the country’s future as the bet.

END

Yesterday was yet another reminder that trusting the “New Day” Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is like trusting a conch shell to hold water. Even if they told us that water is wet, we’d still have to check.

First, we learned that the grand tales told by the Davis administration about “improprieties” in the National Food Distribution Task Force were apparently just that—tales. And before we could even digest that, another headline hit:

“Lights went out at Grand Lucayan” – The Nassau Guardian

Yes, the multimillion-dollar Grand Lucayan resort in Grand Bahama—allegedly sold, signed, sealed, and delivered—had its power disconnected. The official explanation from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) came courtesy of its ever-available spokesperson, Latrae Rahming, who said it was all a “brief issue during the turnover process.” Power, he assured us, was quickly restored.

A brief issue, mind you. Translation: “We forgot who was supposed to pay the light bill.”

Rahming explained that it was a matter of “reconciling utility bills attributed to the government and the new owners,” since “operations remain in transition as redevelopment efforts continue.”

Now, let’s stop right there. Because apparently, this “brief issue” happened at a resort that — according to the government — was sold months ago. Back in May 2025, the Davis administration proudly announced it had signed a Heads of Agreement with Concord Wilshire, a U.S.-based real estate and resort developer, for the sale and redevelopment of the Grand Lucayan for $120 million.

The deal was supposed to be straightforward:

• The government sells the resort for $120 million.
• Concord Wilshire takes over upkeep and future expenses.
• The Bahamas Treasury gets a nice, shiny $120 million deposit.

Except… where’s the receipt?

Because just after that signing ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper issued one of the most Bahamian political disclaimers ever recorded:

“I will repeat one more time, I will make no statement on Grand Lucayan until the money is in the bank. So, if you don’t hear a statement from me, that means the money ain’ in the bank yet.”

Well, since he hasn’t made a statement and instead directed reporters back to the OPM — the same office that gave us the “brief issue” excuse — are we to conclude that the money still ain’ in the bank?

So, let’s get this straight:

• The government claims the Grand Lucayan has been sold.
• The OPM says the lights were disconnected during the “turnover process.”
• The DPM won’t comment until the money is received.
• And no one seems to be able to confirm that the $120 million has actually been paid.

That leaves us with one simple, glaring question:

Who really owns the Grand Lucayan?

Because right now, it sounds like the PLP government is squatting in its own sale announcement — still paying the light bill on a property they supposedly don’t own, while the “new owners” wait somewhere between Miami and make-believe.

If the resort is in “transition,” maybe someone should let Bahamians know which direction — toward private ownership or back toward another PLP press release.

Until we see the $120 million in the Treasury’s account, maybe the only thing actually sold here is the story.

As usual this New Day government has taken a simple matter and created more questions than providing answers.

The Bahamas deserves better.

END

The New Day government, the party that promised to bring civility, integrity, and respect back to politics. The same people who have spent the last two years warning Bahamians to brace for “nasty politics” while gleefully rolling around in it like it’s a political spa treatment.

Just this week, we were treated to the latest sermon on political cleanliness from none other than Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal, Keith Bell — a man who apparently believes that preaching against mudslinging is best done mid-sling.

At a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) men’s branch meeting, the “Honourable” Minister declared that the upcoming election will be “nasty.” Not “spirited,” not “competitive” — but “nasty.” And in the same breath, he proudly announced that he’s personally heading into the garbage can to dig up campaign material. Because nothing says “New Day” like political dumpster diving.

Bell boasted that he’ll rummage through the late Bradley Roberts’ garbage can for ammunition — apparently unaware of how poetic it is that a senior PLP minister is literally pledging to campaign from the trash heap.

But what makes this all the more ironic is that this is the same PLP leadership — from Brave Davis to Fred Mitchell — who have spent months chastising Bahamians about the dangers of “nasty politics.” They’ve wagged their fingers at critics, scolded journalists, and warned the opposition to take the high road, all while paving the low road with their own hypocrisy.

And when Keith Bell isn’t rummaging through garbage, he’s rewriting history — claiming that the Minnis administration “did nothing” for two years before Dorian and COVID-19. But let’s be honest: if the Minister wants to talk facts, the headlines from that period told a different story — “Outlook Improves – Moody’s: Bahamas Has Made Important Fiscal Progress,” “Hotels: We’ve Never Seen This in Ten Years,” and “Passenger Traffic at LPIA Hits 3.7 Million.”

That doesn’t sound like “nothing.” It sounds like progress — the kind the PLP would have printed on t-shirts if they’d been in office.

But I get it — it’s election season. Truth takes a vacation, hypocrisy clocks in full-time, and the PLP’s version of “clean politics” apparently includes rummaging through political garbage cans.

So next time you hear a PLP minister warn against “nasty politics,”, cover your head and just wait for the fall out.

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

END

So, according to Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, the unions are now guilty of “grandstanding and public drama” because they had the audacity to ask for what they were promised, owed, and deserved. How dare the people expect a government to honour its word? Apparently, when Bahamians stand up for their rights, that’s not democracy—it’s “bullying.”

In his national address, Davis boldly declared that he would not “give in to threats.” Translation: asking for your agreed-upon pay increase is now considered a national security risk.

Let’s get this straight—this is the same government that has spent the last three years promising that relief was on the way for civil servants, only to now act shocked and offended when the people finally demand it. The Prime Minister talks about these pay increases like they’re a personal favour, a benevolent “gift from his heart,” as though the country’s workers are a charity case and not the backbone of the nation’s public service.

But here’s the thing—it’s not a gift. It’s not an act of generosity. It’s a debt owed to the Bahamian people, negotiated, agreed upon, and long overdue. The raises are supposed to help civil servants keep up with the same cost of living and inflation this government keeps making worse. Yet somehow, the narrative has been flipped: the government owes them nothing, and they should be grateful for whatever crumbs eventually fall off the Cabinet table.

What we’re seeing now is the New Day government redefining accountability as aggression. Ask for transparency, and you’re “attacking” them. Demand delivery on promises, and you’re “disrespectful.” Expect results, and you’re “threatening.”

This from a government that campaigned as the “champion of the poor man,” only to champion photo ops and empty slogans once in office. They’ve carried the people just far enough to silence their complaints—then left them stranded at the crossroads of broken promises and rising taxes.

Maybe someone should remind the Prime Minister that the purpose of government is not to play Santa Claus to the citizenry, deciding who’s “nice” enough to get what they’re owed. It’s to serve, to deliver, and to make the lives of the people better. And if you fail at that, the people will speak up—no matter how inconvenient that truth may sound from the City Market parking lot to the House of Assembly.

Because “Power to the People” isn’t just a song, Mr. Prime Minister—it’s supposed to be the point.

This is what the People of The Bahamas has to look forward to of this New Day, Old Way government is brought back to power and M y Morning Paper honestly believes that the people of The Bahamas deserve better.

The PLP fails for one reason — it’s in their nature.

END