NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Concerns over the sustainability of government-funded health insurance for law enforcement officers have resurfaced once again after the Police Staff Association (PSA) warned members that dependents previously entitled to coverage are now being denied benefits, a development the association links to some $100 million in unpaid premiums allegedly owed to insurer Colina.
In a letter circulated to members, PSA Chairman Ricardo Walkes said officers who were enrolled in dependent coverage prior to the government’s post-2023 restrictions are now facing refusals for spouses and newborn children who had previously been accepted under the plan. Walkes said the situation has already resulted in dependents being denied medical services, despite having been formally added to the insurance system.
“Despite having the names of dependents accepted, several family members have recently required medical services and have been denied coverage due to this ongoing issue,” Walkes wrote. “This denial not only creates unnecessary stress for our officers but also raises significant concerns about the respect and care that our members deserve.”
Walkes said he was informed during a meeting with Colina Insurance Company that the Government of The Bahamas owes the insurer approximately $100 million in unpaid premiums. He added that documents presented to him indicated warnings had previously been issued to the government outlining the potential consequences of non-payment, yet the outstanding balance was allowed to grow.
“This overwhelming debt is not just a financial statistic; it represents a profound disrespect for police officers who selflessly put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities,” Walkes said. He further claimed he has written to the Prime Minister on more than three occasions requesting a meeting on the matter, without response.
Eyewitness News reached out to National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, who questioned the accuracy of the claims and said no similar concerns have been raised by other uniformed branches.
“If this is true this would apply to RBDF and BDOCS officers too and I have not received any indication from either of those forces that this is true. Unlike the Police Staff Association the Correctional Staff Association and the RBDF brings their concerns directly to the Ministry as we have an open door policy,” Munroe said.
Munroe added: “I have my Permanent Secretary checking on the veracity of the memo.”
The claims also drew a political response from the Free National Movement, with Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright accusing the Davis administration of failing to meet its obligations to frontline public servants.
“There is no excuse for what has been revealed. Police officers who are legally entitled to dependent health insurance are now being denied coverage for their spouses and children,” Cartwright said, attributing the situation to what he described as approximately $100 million in unpaid health insurance premiums. He also alleged the Prime Minister has refused to meet with the PSA, describing the silence as unacceptable amid concerns over officers’ health coverage.
The controversy mirrors similar claims raised by the association last year that were publicly dismissed by Munroe, who at the time denied that the government owed Colina more than $100 million or that police medical coverage was at risk.
