The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE PLP’s Fred Mitchell, John Pinder and McKell Bonaby lead the list of the most absent MPs in the House of Assembly since the Davis administration assumed office in 2021, each attending fewer than 80 percent of sittings during the period, according to records obtained by The Tribune.

Marco City MP Michael Pintard, leader of the FNM, MICAL MP Basil McIntosh, and St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright, had the best attendance records.

The records cover two sessions: 88 sittings from October 2021 to August 2023 and 106 sittings from October 2023 to March 2026.

Fox HIll MP Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Affairs Minister and PLP Chairman, missed 76 sittings for an attendance rate of 60.8 percent. He declined to comment yesterday.

He was followed by Mr Pinder, the Central and South Abaco MP with 55 absences, (71.6 percent attendance rate) and Mr Bonaby, the Mount Moriah MP and chairman of the Bahamas Public Parks and Beaches Authority, with 52 or (73.2 per cent attendance rate.) Neither man responded to The Tribune’s questions yesterday about their high number of absences.

Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis was not far behind them with 47 absences for a 75.8 percent attendance rate.

Seabreeze MP Leslia Miller-Brice and North Andros and Berry Islands MP Leonardo Lightbourne trailed behind at 43 and 41 absences respectively, though records note that Mr Lightbourne missed one sitting while attending a parliamentary conference.

After Mr Pintard, Mr Mcintosh, and Mr Cartwright, the MPs who attended sittings the most were Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin, North Eleuthera MP Sylvanus Petty, Carmichael MP Keith Bell and Freetown MP Wayne Munroe. Each recorded attendance rates either at or above 90 percent.

The late West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe didn’t miss a single sitting before his surprise death in September 2023.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, Myles LaRoda, Dr Michael Darville, Pia Glover-Rolle Bacchus Rolle, Alfred Sears, Clay Sweeting, Jomo Campbell, Mario Bowleg, Ginger Moxey, Leon Lundy, Zane Lightbourne, Wayde Watson, Kirk Cornish, Jamahl Strachan, Lisa Rahming, Leroy Major, Dr Hubert Minnis, Adrian Gibson and Kwasi Thompson were among those with attendance rates above 80 percent.

Kingsley Smith was absent 14 times since winning the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by election in 2023, while Darron Pickstock only missed one session since winning last November’s Golden Isles by-election.