Opposition: Government Has Not, In Any Major Way, Addressed the Fundamental Issues

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Whether it’s 39 or 41 seats, the leader of The Free National Movement, Michael Pintard, says his party is ready for the next general election, but he says there are fundamental voting issues the Davis administration has failed to addressed.

Michael Pintard – Leader, Free National Movement

“With respect to the boundaries report, as you know our deputy leader represented us on the boundaries report, we have signed the report. The government has not in any major way in our minds addressed the fundamental issues the Boundaries Commission is established to deal with.”

Pintard shared those comments outside the House of assembly Wednesday morning, just minutes before the speaker of the house announced the establishment of two new constituencies for the 2026 general election.

This decision made by a five member commission chaired by the house speaker and deputy chaired by Justice Gregory Hilton, along with Members of Parliament Chester Cooper, Dr. Michael Darville, and Shanendon Cartwright.

One of the new constituencies, “St. James”, will be on the island of New Providence.

The second, “Bimini & Berry Islands,” which was previously a part of the West Grand Bahama and Bimini constituency and North Andros and Berry Islands constituency, respectively.

Pintard says he believes the Davis administration missed the opportunity to deal with a number of issues, including the lack of parity in terms of the number of voters in the various seats.

Michael Pintard – Leader, Free National Movement

“For example in their move in taking Bimini and putting it with Berry Islands, clearly if they were interested in bringing parity across Grand Bahama you would notice at least a 1,300 difference between West Grand Bahama now, and let’s say East Grand Bahama.”

“And then if you look across The Bahamas, the prime minister is representing a seat that has less than 1,800 voters where as there are other seats like Marco City for example, 6,200.”

Deputy Prime Minister, Chester Cooper, responding to Pintard’s concerns, noting the opposition had a member on the committee and these matters were fully discussed.

He added that the Davis administration did the work as objectively as they could.

Chester Cooper – Deputy Prime Minister

“The opposition member agreed with the report, executed the report. We laid the report today, that report will go to the Governor General, and indeed next week the order will come which will be executed by the Governor General.”