NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has accused Prime Minister Philip Davis of using political theatrics rather than substantive policy to address the country’s mounting cost-of-living challenges, arguing that the government’s latest affordability measures are driven by electoral timing rather than economic necessity.
In a statement following the Prime Minister’s national address, Pintard said Davis, with only months remaining in his five-year term, leaned heavily on presentation while failing to provide evidence that the announced measures would meaningfully ease household pressures.
“With only months left in a five-year term, and in the face of his imminent political retirement, Prime Minister Davis delivered a national address that relied more on performance than proof,” Pintard said, adding that what was framed as reassurance amounted to “smoke and mirrors, a package of shameless campaign cuts designed to distract a frustrated and increasingly impatient nation.”
The Opposition Leader took particular aim at the timing of the government’s announced affordability measures, which are set to take effect on April 1.
“The Prime Minister announced that his latest affordability measures will take effect April 1 on April Fools’ Day. The irony is not lost on the Bahamian people,” Pintard said.
He argued that families have spent nearly five years absorbing higher prices, shrinking purchasing power, and rising utility bills, only to see relief emerge as an election approaches.
“For nearly five years, families have been asked to stretch shrinking paychecks, absorb rising prices, and accept explanations instead of relief. Now, with an election on the horizon, this government suddenly discovers urgency.”
Pintard contended that if the measures were genuinely essential, they would not have taken almost an entire term to implement. He pointed to repeated calls by the Free National Movement for VAT relief on food and essential items, dating back to 2021.
“If these measures were truly essential, Bahamians would not have had to wait almost five years to see them,” he said, noting that Opposition MPs warned against reapplying VAT to previously zero-rated items in December 2021 and renewed calls in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as food and electricity costs climbed.
According to Pintard, those warnings were ignored until political pressure intensified.
“This government ignored those warnings, only to adopt the same direction now, when the political calendar demands it.”
He also challenged the Prime Minister’s claims on VAT reductions, arguing that the government is reversing increases it implemented itself.
“The Prime Minister boasts about dropping VAT to zero on items his own government raised from zero to ten percent,” Pintard said, adding that Davis “conveniently omits that he himself sat in Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister when VAT was first imposed, taking it from zero to 7.5 percent.”
Beyond affordability measures, Pintard said the address was defined as much by what it failed to address as by what it included. He criticized the absence of any acknowledgment of the country’s immigration challenges.
“There was no acknowledgment of the immigration crisis, and no recognition of the fear and anxiety many Bahamians feel about a system they believe is unfair, broken, and no longer focused on protecting law-abiding citizens,” he said.
He also accused the government of avoiding a serious discussion on crime and healthcare, despite ongoing pressures in both areas.
“There was no serious reckoning with crime,” Pintard said, noting that murders remain “more than 30 percent higher under the PLP than under the last FNM government.”
He further described a healthcare system “on life support,” where hospitals struggle with shortages, staff burnout, and long wait times.
Pintard raised questions about transparency and accountability, pointing to unresolved issues surrounding the Grand Lucayan project and proposed developments in the Family Islands.
“There was no explanation for the more than $120 million the government claimed it collected from the sale of the now-stalled Grand Lucayan project,” he said, calling the claim “unsubstantiated eight months later.”
He also cited the lack of clarity on the proposed port project in Mayaguana, where the government is seeking to allocate 3,000 acres of Crown land, as well as the absence of disclosure on the terms of public-private partnerships involving hundreds of millions of dollars.
Tourism policy, Pintard said, was another area where headline numbers were emphasized without evidence of broader benefits.
“Cruise passenger numbers may be rising, but there was no explanation of how this growth translates into higher wages, stronger small businesses, or real economic empowerment,” he said, adding that there was “no clear strategy to grow stopover tourism.”
Turning to economic data, Pintard said everyday realities contradict the government’s optimistic messaging. He cited slowing growth, sectoral declines, and rising debt as indicators of deeper strain.
“Inflation has punished Bahamian households year after year, and economic growth is slowing sharply,” he said, noting that growth fell to 3.7 percent in 2024 from 9.9 percent in 2023.
He highlighted declines in manufacturing, utilities, and accommodation and food services, while pointing to Ministry of Finance data showing public sector debt at $13.149 billion at end-June 2025.
“This is the same government speaking about relief while adding to the burden future generations will carry,” Pintard said.
He also referenced a University of The Bahamas study indicating that a middle-class family of four now needs more than $10,000 a month to maintain a basic lifestyle in New Providence and Grand Bahama, alongside unemployment figures showing joblessness at 10.8 percent and youth unemployment at 20.9 percent.
Pintard rejected what he described as the Prime Minister’s continued reliance on Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19 as explanations for current conditions.
“He invokes them whenever it is convenient,” Pintard said, arguing that while the crises were devastating, they cannot excuse governance failures nearly five years into the term.
“After nearly five years in office, he can no longer govern by looking backward. Excuses are not leadership. Accountability is.”
Ultimately, Pintard said affordability must be measured by lived experience, not speeches.
“Affordability is not just about VAT. It is about whether a paycheck can cover groceries, electricity, rent, transportation, school expenses, and healthcare without constant sacrifice.”
He concluded that the address left Bahamians no better off than before.
“After a boring address filled with slogans and selective statistics, Bahamians were left exactly where they started: still facing high prices, rising bills, and a government that talks far more than it delivers.”
The Opposition Leader said the country needs “honest leadership, real accountability, and a serious affordability strategy,” insisting that such leadership will not come from what he described as “April Fools’ promises,” but from a government prepared to put Bahamians first.
Prime Minister Philip Davis announced during a national address on Monday night that the Government will eliminate Value Added Tax (VAT) on unprepared food, calling the move a necessary step to ease the cost-of-living pressures still facing Bahamian families.
The Prime Minister also announced expanded property tax relief for homeowners. Owner-occupied duplexes and triplexes will now qualify for the residential property tax exemption, alongside expanded concessions for first-time homeowners. Davis said the measures are intended to help more Bahamian families reduce housing costs and build long-term wealth as part of the administration’s broader cost-of-living strategy.
