The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

WITH his tenure as Attorney General having expired, Ryan Pinder said yesterday he has no plans to return to frontline politics, adding: “Don’t hold your breath.”

Mr Pinder clarified to reporters that he is not stepping down, but that his tenure has officially ended.

Speaking during the official opening of the Legal Year 2026 yesterday, Mr Pinder reflected on his four years in office. He recalled September 2021, when he received a call from Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis inviting him to serve as Attorney General of The Bahamas.

Mr Pinder described the call as a complete surprise and said the offer, at the highest level of his profession, was one he could not turn down.

He called serving as Attorney General the greatest professional and civic experience of his life, but acknowledged the role has not always been easy.

“As we reflect on the legal year behind us, it is clear that the period has not been without challenge. The law has been called upon to respond to unprecedented pressures, evolving forms of crime, increasing regulatory complexity and rising public expectations. At times, the strain on institutions has been evident. At other times, progress has been incremental rather than immediate,” he said.

Mr Pinder stressed that access to justice remains fundamental, noting that delays and inefficiencies affect real people. He said the Attorney General’s Office will continue to focus on case management, procedural fairness and practical reform.

He said the office has pursued an aggressive legislative agenda over the past four years, presenting more than 100 pieces of legislation, including subsidiary legislation, with the assistance of the Law Reform and Revision Commission.

Mr Pinder highlighted ongoing government initiatives, including land reform, the finalisation of firearms legislation and updates to the Penal Code.

He also emphasised the importance of the Conditional Release of Offenders Parole Bill.

“We certainly believe, when it comes to criminal justice, that being able to provide rehabilitation and easing and facilitating those who are incarcerated back into society is the right thing to do,” he said. “It's the right thing to do for the country, it's the right thing for those who are incarcerated to be able to have a framework, to have a second chance.”