Op-Ed: Davis’ house of cards collapsing

This article was delayed to give the Davis-Cooper administration and relevant individuals an opportunity to adequately address a nation facing one of its darkest moments. Alas, the New Day government failed woefully to do just that and proved unworthy of the benefit of the doubt.  

The Bahamian people are pressed on every side and grapple with crises of epic proportions on the cost of living, crime, health and economic fronts. The despair brought on by these challenges were worsened with national shame and embarrassment with the scathing allegations in an unsealed US indictment involving senior law enforcement officers, government officials and a “high-ranking” politician in a massive cocaine and arms trafficking scheme. 

Who is running this House?

The decision of the Speaker of the House of Assembly not to allow the Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to speak on what is arguably the most significant matter impacting the reputation of our nation and its institutions since the turn of the millennium has been condemned by many. The Speaker was quoted as saying that “Prime Minister (Davis) does not run this House” in response to the Honorable Michael Pintard’s cogent point that since Davis had indicated that he would address the matter, the Official Opposition should be able to do the same.

There is no doubt that the Speaker was right in saying that the PM shouldn’t run the House albeit it would be naïve to suggest that the ruling party doesn’t directly or indirectly control the Speaker’s actions. In this instance, the decision to silence the Opposition on a matter of such significance and importance was simply shameful. However, the Speaker’s decision paled in comparison to Davis’ comments as he downplayed the magnitude of this scandal by declaring that the arrest of two individuals in the US did not necessarily indicate a matter of critical importance despite the caliber of indicted individuals, the alleged role of our established institutions and a high ranking politician, the loss of confidence by the populace in his government and the national embarrassment this has caused Bahamians. On this basis, the Speaker’s assertion is metaphorically accurate: our aloof Prime Minister doesn’t run this House called The Bahamas.

PLP MPs rediscover Shaggy’s Hit

When they were not running and dodging the people that elected them after exiting the people’s Parliament, PLP Members of Parliament were rediscovering the hit song by the popular Jamaican artist – Shaggy. The Deputy Prime Minister was first out of the gate to make it clear that “It Wasn’t Me.” As speculation grew and social media was ablaze, more and more PLP MPs were quick to deny any involvement publicly and privately. This is another example of the Prime Minister’s poor leadership and lack of commitment to transparency and accountability as the Bahamian people play guessing games about who the mystery Member of Parliament is, when the same can be revealed at his will.

The utterances of the Minister of National Security had many puzzled. Munroe denied any involvement in the scandal, asserted that he had not received two million dollars as alleged, and noted that he had only become aware of the indictment minutes before the general public following communication from the Commissioner of Police, after which he notified the PM. He effectively dismissed calls for his resignation on the premise that he serves at the pleasure of the Prime Minister but admitted that this exposé will lead to an erosion of trust between our partners in OPBAT, which was established as far back as 1982, and will affect how our American counterparts view us as Bahamians.

Some explaining to do

It is preposterous to suggest that the US Department of Justice would have proceeded with the indictment without a proper investigation and solid evidence. While the indictment highlights the role of law enforcement officers, it also outlines failures in various agencies, ministries and protocols from top to bottom. Davis must own this embarrassing national scandal that has unfolded under his leadership or lack thereof. As Prime Minister, the buck stops with him and the tainted image of our country happened on his watch. Furthermore, the Customs Department, which was referenced in the indictment, falls under Davis as Minister of Finance. The Minister with responsibility for Aviation must explain how our airports and airspace were used for the alleged illegal activities. Additionally, what is the name of the private airplane charter company cited in the indictment? The Attorney General as the country’s Chief Legal Officer cannot be silent on this issue and must explain how his office had no idea and brought no charges before now.

What about the Minister responsible for maritime? The indictment outlines the use of our waterways, ports of entry and maritime for the illegal activities. The Foreign Affairs Minister is responsible for diplomatic relations and maintaining good relations with other nations; particularly our biggest ally – the US. Despite the expected confidentiality of investigations of this nature, has our relationship with the US deteriorated to the point that there was no heads up given without details which could jeopardize the investigation? When did the government find out about this scandal? Was it at the same time as the general public as Munroe suggested? Was the Davis-Cooper administration totally blindsided and is this indicative of a trust deficit with the US?

National Security 

The National Security Minister has presided over arguably the most tumultuous period in the RBPF’s history. Munroe has been a disaster as Minister with the unresolved money heist prior to this scandal and multiple serious allegations against officers during his tenure. The question must also be asked about the future of the Commissioner of Police (COP) and Commodore who head the two agencies at the center of this debacle. What real major shakeup and initiatives will be implemented across these ministries and agencies in response to this scandal? 

The national recorded address by the COP was disappointing and the initiatives announced underwhelming. Even more disturbing was what seemed to be an attempt to normalize corruption in the country and the public commentary on national television justifying its endemic nature. How is the digitization of records in 2024 a major initiative? At a time when trust in the RBPF is at an all time low, how does the COP expect whistleblowers to be more forthcoming? Has the COP heard about Crimestoppers and the encryption of information under that program? Was there a need to reinvent the wheel and haven’t we heard these proposals before? 

Commission of Inquiry 

There were calls for a Commission of Inquiry following the damning allegations against the Head of the Central Investigations Department who remains on garden leave amidst an investigation that has left much to be desired. The Leader of the Official Opposition has called for a Commission in light of the recent indictments and the lackadaisical response from Davis and his government. This writer supports Pintard’s position and recommendations. While we may not see a Commission of Inquiry in the current term and such an inquiry may be deficient, the next administration owes this to the Bahamian people.

In the meantime, Bahamians are asking: why have no heads rolled yet? Talk is cheap and the New Day government’s response has been grossly inadequate. Davis’ speech in the House was weak and empty. It inspired no confidence and increased the trust deficit the Bahamian people have in him and his administration. The PM missed an opportunity to show leadership, exude strength and address the concerns of the Bahamian people. The foot-in-mouth episode about the people’s choices determining the cost of living is dwarfed by Davis’ mumbling in the House at a time when Bahamians are demanding answers.

A record of failure

Davis confirmed what most Bahamians already know, he has lost control of his government and governance of this nation. The PM is disconnected from the plight of the masses and cannot read the room. He has been weighed in the balance and found wanting on every single issue that matters to the Bahamian people. He has failed on crime. He has failed on the economy. He has failed on healthcare. He has failed on the cost of living crisis. He has failed in preserving the good reputation of The Bahamas that his predecessors worked so hard to restore following the drug trade era. 

The house of cards is crumbling and we are seeing a government on autopilot. This situation is further worsened by the unprecedented internal strife within his party and the emergence of the Davis vs. Cooper factions who have declared war on each other in a power tussle perpetuated by their operatives. In the meantime, Bahamians must now live with the shame brought about by the actions of a select few under an administration that has made it clear that good governance, transparency and accountability are not its priorities. Nevertheless, the indomitable spirit of the Bahamian people will not be broken and we will emerge from this.

Written by: Arinthia S. Komolafe