NASSAU, BAHAMAS — East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson has accused the Davis Administration of manipulating its year-end fiscal numbers to appear financially sound while ignoring the real economic pain facing thousands of Bahamians.
In a statement released yesterday, Thompson said the government’s latest fiscal report shows a suspicious $30 million downward adjustment in reported spending — a move he claimed was designed to make the administration seem closer to its budget targets.
“Over and again, this government has produced financial reports with sudden shifts, often in the tens of millions of dollars, without providing the Bahamian people with clear or timely explanations,” Thompson said. “In the final fiscal report of the year, we see the government slashing its reported spending numbers downward by some $30 million, just enough to appear close to meeting budget targets. This conveniently timed revision raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.”
Thompson argued that while the administration “pats itself on the back” for fiscal discipline and positive international ratings, everyday Bahamians continue to face worsening economic conditions.
“Across The Bahamas, thousands of families are living in quiet crisis,” he said. “They’re not asking about credit ratings or government balance sheets. They’re asking, Can I afford groceries this week? Can I pay my light bill? Can I cover rent before eviction hits? For too many, the answer is a heartbreaking no.”
The opposition MP accused the government of focusing on optics rather than outcomes, saying it continues to “confuse fiscal public relations with economic reality.” He pointed to underemployment figures showing some 65,000 Bahamians forced into part-time work as evidence that economic recovery has failed to reach ordinary people.
“The wealth gap is growing, the cost of living is exploding, and this administration has forgotten the people who elected them,” Thompson said. “Bahamians need relief. They are asking for dignity. They are asking to be seen. And right now, this government has turned a blind eye.”
Thompson closed by calling for new leadership, asserting that, “If the Davis Administration won’t fight for Bahamians, then it’s time for a government that will.”
Economic Affairs Minister Senator Michael Halkitis last week rejected suggestions that government fiscal data is unreliable, stressing that published figures are independently verified and relied upon by international investors and agencies.
“The government’s numbers that we publish…they are checked and double-checked by the Ministry of Finance, the Treasury, Internal Audit, and the Auditor General,” Halkitis said during an Office of the Prime Minister press conference. “Organisations such as the IMF, S&P, Moody’s, Fitch, all of the banks that invest, and private investors that invest in government securities in The Bahamas study these numbers. They rely on them.”
He added: “It is never even in the contemplation of this administration to do anything with numbers. I saw the word ‘manipulate’ in an article—not even the desire to do so. But even if there were, these things are checked and double-checked by any number of external individuals.”
