National

They Were Praising Us Moments Before, And We Were Surprised

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Parliamentary Registration Department confirmed that the ballot box arrived safely and is now stored inside a secure vault. But in light of the dramatic confrontation, many are questioning its safety.

Published

3 weeks ago

November 18, 2025

Joshua Williams

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A chaotic scene unfolded at the end of yesterday’s advanced poll as protestors from the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Coalition of Independents (COI) clashed with police officers in an attempt to block the ballot box from leaving the polling station.

The polls officially closed shortly after 6 p.m., with 249 voters casting their ballots for the candidate they believe should represent the Golden Isles constituency. But as officials prepared to transport the ballot box to the Parliamentary Registration Department (PRD), tensions quickly escalated.

Both the FNM and COI openly protested the way the ballot box was being handled, insisting that the transport procedure was not what had been previously agreed upon. However, Returning Officer Neil Campbell says their claims do not align with the facts.

Campbell: “They had already agreed.”

According to Campbell, all parties had initially agreed to follow behind the vehicle carrying the ballot box. He says the confusion only arose when a request was made for agents to ride in the bus instead.

“They had agreed earlier… they will ride behind the box. When it was brought to our attention that they wanted to drive in the bus, they came to us and we spoke. The adjustment was made, nothing was being mishandled because it was their agreement. We obliged.”

Campbell also noted that representatives were allowed to inspect the transport vehicle to ensure everything was in order before it left.

Praise Turned to Protest

Campbell says the sudden backlash was surprising, especially since agents had just commended the process minutes earlier.

“Every single agent in the room thanked us and said this is the best it has ever been. We allowed them to sign off on every single envelope or package that went into the box. We normally seal the top, but someone from the COI asked about the bottom of the envelope, so we sealed the bottom as well. I allowed one person from each candidate to sign the envelope, top and bottom.”

Throughout the day, he said, officials worked cooperatively with all groups, addressing complaints about loud music, protocol concerns, and other issues highlighted prior to the poll. He added that an issue with counting later that night was also resolved.

Ballot Box Now in Secure Vault

The Parliamentary Registration Department confirmed that the ballot box arrived safely and is now stored inside a secure vault. But in light of the dramatic confrontation, many are questioning its safety.

Campbell insists the system is secure.

“To open the box, we need four different keys from four different people. The police have one, the parliamentary commissioner has one, I have one, and he has one. You’d need four people to collude.”