The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration’s drive to overhaul local government and accelerate Family Island development produced uneven results this term, with senior councillors saying key promises remain unfulfilled despite legislative changes and some infrastructure gains.

The Progressive Liberal Party’s Blueprint for Change pledged to strengthen local government by giving councils more authority over community affairs, development and revenue generation. Officials say the Local Government Bill, passed in 2024, addressed many of these goals by expanding financial independence and public participation across Family Island councils.

However, chief councillors told The Tribune the reforms fall short in practice, particularly in how decisions are controlled from Nassau.

Acklins Chief Councillor Marvin Campbell said councils should have greater autonomy to approve contracts above a certain threshold, questioning why approvals for contracts worth $5,000 or more must be handled centrally.

“We know the contractors on the island,” he said. “We know what the projects we want. Why it is that we are sending to Nassau for Nassau to be approved for contracts $5,000 and above? I think if the people elect us, we should be competent enough to manage $5,000. If not, there's no reason to be there.”

Local Government Minister Clay Sweeting said both central and local government must follow the Public Procurement Act to ensure accountability and transparency.

Concerns about limited authority were echoed in Abaco. Roscoe Thompson, councillor for the Central Abaco District, said local government is often left to deal with emergencies despite lacking the power to act independently.

“When you have fires, you try to call the DRM or you try to get a member of Parliament, John or Kirk, and they have to help with fire breaks, but in terms of empowering local government and what they did with that Act, to us, it’s hogwash,” he said.

The PLP also pledged a ten percent annual increase in local government budgets over five years, but only one increase has been implemented since it took office.

In Mayaguana, Deputy Chief Councillor Cleveland Brown said councillors are still waiting for payments owed since January.

“They ain’t been here from December and when they come to pay, it’s for one month, and they owe people plenty money,” he said, describing the situation as “terrible.”

Mr Sweeting said the delay was caused by a break-in at a government facility on the island, which required security upgrades, including the installation of a new safe. He added that while only one budget increase has been implemented, it is the first in more than 20 years. Broader reforms also remain incomplete. Plans to establish a local government system in New Providence have not been realised, while infrastructure projects across the Family Islands have progressed unevenly.

Clinic projects in Abaco and drainage works in Acklins have advanced, but road conditions and healthcare services remain concerns in several districts. In Acklins, Mr Campbell said work on the Salina Point and Spring Point clinics had begun but has since stalled.

“The reason why I can't really tell, I don't know it's because of finances or some mix up with the contractors, or whatever that may be,” he said. “I can’t really speak to that. But I know for a fact, monies were spent and work were going on on those projects.”

The government also pledged to improve airlift and ferry services. Increased airline capacity has been seen in islands such as Eleuthera, Exuma and Abaco, but not all islands have benefited.

Inagua remains limited to twice-weekly Bahamasair service, which Mr Campbell said is hurting businesses.

“A lot of businesses are losing money. Lodges are losing money. People are losing money because of the horrible airlift,” he added.

Mr Brown was more critical, accusing the administration of neglecting Mayaguana and calling for the island to be designated a port of entry to support tourism and job creation. Government officials maintain that the programme represents the largest investment in Family Island infrastructure in decades, with hundreds of millions of dollars spent.

The government’s Blueprint for Change tracker says most local government commitments have been delivered, with budget increases and a New Providence regime still outstanding, alongside ongoing improvements to healthcare, transport and public services.