NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard has accused Prime Minister Philip Davis of breaking his promises to public servants and misleading Bahamians about the government’s handling of worker pay and economic conditions.
Pintard made the remarks Tuesday night following the Prime Minister’s national address on ongoing labour tensions and the release of the Salary Review for Middle Management and Technical Officers.
Expressing appreciation to the nation’s public servants, Pintard began his address by thanking “the men and women who keep The Bahamas running.” He said public sector employees continue to serve with “pride and dignity,” despite the government’s failure to deliver on commitments made.
“I listened to Prime Minister Davis, and I must speak plainly — I was deeply disappointed because the Bahamian people deserve the truth,” the Opposition leader said. “You deserve a leader who keeps his word.”
Pintard questioned the Prime Minister’s claims of economic progress, noting that many Bahamians are still struggling to make ends meet. “If the economy is doing so well, why are more Bahamians struggling?” he asked. “This country has made billions of dollars over the last four years — three billion per year and counting. The question is what has the Prime Minister done with those monies so that the Bahamian people could feel the result?”
He pointed to rising unemployment, particularly among young people, and accused the Prime Minister of omitting key issues from his address, including delays in promised salary increases, the status of non-permanent employees, and what he described as an “unsustainable” number of government consultants.
“He didn’t tell you about those who were hired before they came to government and still have not been made permanent and pensionable,” Pintard said. “He didn’t tell you about retirees brought back at high salaries while others wait for promotion. And he didn’t tell you about the more than $80 million per year being spent on consultants — some of whom spend time doing political work instead of serving the Bahamian people.”
Pintard said these broken commitments have eroded public trust in the government. “If this government cannot keep its word to its workers, can we trust it to keep its word to the country in general?” he asked. “When cabinet ministers speak, their words should be reliable. Workers were told that incremental benefits would arrive in June and again in September. Those commitments did not materialize.”
He also criticized what he called a pattern of inconsistency between the Prime Minister and his ministers, citing past issues involving Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) and the National Insurance Board (NIB). “It is a matter of trust and the Prime Minister should be truthful,” Pintard said.
Describing Davis’ dismissal of union criticism as “disrespectful,” Pintard said the Prime Minister was wrong to refer to workers’ demands as “noise.” “No, it’s about trust,” he said. “Workers expect that the Prime Minister’s words, and his ministers’ words, are trustworthy. But he’s not listening. The law requires him to have discussions with union leaders — to ignore that is disrespectful.”
Pintard accused the Davis administration of being “out of touch” with the struggles of working families. “Bahamians are tired of speeches that celebrate progress they cannot feel,” he said. “You can’t feed your family with promises. You can’t pay rent with rhetoric.”
He charged that while the government boasted about raising the minimum wage, it also imposed higher costs on families through electricity rate hikes and rising living expenses.
“The unions have been clear and respectful,” Pintard said. “They were right to demand clarity. After collecting billions in taxes and spending millions on travel and entertainment, the government is now being asked to account to its workers.”
Reminding the public that Davis signed a memorandum of understanding with unions before the last election, Pintard said the Prime Minister has since “backtracked on the promises” he made. “The same unions that once stood beside him now refuse to march with him,” he said.
Pintard said the Free National Movement “stands firmly with Bahamian workers” and believes in transparency, accountability, and respect for organized labour. “This is not about growing the wage bill for politics,” he said. “It’s about keeping promises, managing public money wisely, and delivering services that Bahamians can count on.”
Outlining the FNM’s standards for governance, Pintard said his party would commit to clear timelines, collective cabinet responsibility, and redeployment of staff to critical areas such as education and healthcare.
“We will be truthful about timelines — no vague targets,” he said. “If government makes a commitment, it will publish the timeline, the cost, and the source of funding.”
Criticizing the Prime Minister’s leadership style, Pintard added: “The pressure outside on this road brought him out last week. He was not a rock star; he was an employee finally reporting to duty because the employers — the people — told him he had to go.”
