NASSAU, BAHAMAS — St. Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright has accused the Davis administration of undermining public trust by failing to meet its financial obligations, warning that unpaid rent, delayed health care payments, and unsafe working conditions point to deeper fiscal mismanagement.
“I am asking a simple question on behalf of every Bahamian who pays a light bill, a rent, and a grocery tab on time,” Cartwright said. “How can this government be trusted to run the country when it will not meet its own obligations to landlords, health providers, or public servants?”
His remarks came after Ministry of Works employees in Abaco found their office locked at Abaco Central Plaza over the weekend. The landlord reportedly took action after more than a year without payment, with outstanding rent and renovation costs said to exceed $150,000.
Just days earlier, the Minister of Health and Wellness confirmed that National Health Insurance (NHI) providers had not been paid for services delivered in July and August, the first two months of the 2025/26 fiscal year. Cartwright said the lapse has left private labs uncompensated, disrupting diagnostic testing, doctors’ visits, and basic patient care for the more than 161,000 Bahamians who rely on NHI services.
The week also saw a walkout by staff at public facilities under active renovation, following concerns raised by the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU). The union labeled the conditions “unacceptable,” citing reports that an employee was struck by falling debris during office hours.
“Three failures. One week,” Cartwright said. “Together they reveal a larger truth: the PLP is creating two countries. One for themselves, their friends, and those that get special treatment. Another for ordinary Bahamians who are left to struggle with rising prices, unsafe workplaces, and government excuses.”
He added that while ordinary families face rising costs and no leniency from utility companies or landlords, the government “finds room for private jets, inflated travel budgets, and glossy PR campaigns.”
“This government has forgotten who they work for,” Cartwright argued. “The Free National Movement is working for you, not for the privileged few. Trust is not a slogan; it is proven by actions. It means paying what you owe, protecting the people who serve, and being honest about the state of our country’s finances.”
