NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has renewed criticism of the government’s handling of the controversial Exuma moorings deal, noting that equipment linked to the cancelled project remains in place as residents continue to demand accountability.
While touring several of the Exuma cays on Tuesday alongside Free National Movement (FNM) representatives, including Exuma and Ragged Island candidate Debbie Moxey-Rolle, Pintard charged that residents have been left without adequate healthcare support as island clinics remain under-resourced.
He also pointed to frustration over Crown land allocations, alleging that foreign investors appear to be receiving Crown grants while Bahamians continue to wait years for approvals
“We have gotten clear reports of a number of foreign investors who seem to be the beneficiary of Crown grants, and again the government would have to explain under what circumstances they are doing this,” Pintard said. “What they cannot explain is why there are so many Bahamians who have applied for such a long time and have not been successful in getting Crown grants. If you want to empower Bahamians, one key way to do it, whether for residential property or commercial enterprises, is through utilising our land — the people’s land — to help Bahamians.”
Pintard also raised fresh concerns about the controversial moorings deal which was cancelled.
“The Prime Minister, signed off on a moorings deal that locked out the vast majority of Exumians who may have wanted to bid on providing moorings,” Pintard said. “When the project was cancelled by a local official, the Prime Minister pretended as if he just got wind of this information, when the Cabinet was fully aware that this moorings deal was going to be signed off on. What we are saying is we need the Prime Minister and his colleagues to speak plain, openly and honestly with the Bahamian people about choices they are making.”
He added that despite government assurances that the project had been stopped, shipping containers and trailers linked to the initiative remain in Exuma.
“This deal that they claim they have cancelled — the truth of the matter is that the trailers are still here, the containers are still in Exuma,” Pintard said. “Some people report that additional containers have arrived since the time the project was stopped. We want to know what the truth is. Why are they still here?”
Moxey-Rolle echoed those concerns, calling for the immediate removal of the moorings, which she said pose hazards to mariners.
“The government promised this deal was cancelled and that they would remove the moorings. They are still here, and they present a challenge to the mariners. They must be removed forthwith,” she insisted.
Pintard added that Exumians deserve a fair opportunity to participate in such projects.
Back in February the government and Bahamas Moorings Ltd confirmed that they had mutually agreed to cancel the moorings deal after concerns over premature mooring installations and the involvement of an Office of the Prime Minister employee. The government had issued a cease-and-desist order to Bahamas Moorings Ltd. for beginning preliminary activities related to the mooring installations without obtaining the necessary approvals.
Bahamas Moorings Ltd. had been granted a seabed lease to install 253 moorings at key locations throughout the Exuma Cays (excluding the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park), with a $2.5 million private investment aimed at advancing marine conservation and sustainable boating infrastructure. The Cabinet approved the project in June 2022, and Bahamas Moorings Ltd. was granted the lease in January 2025.
