Governing party wins second term in Bahamas

The governing party in The Bahamas has won a second consecutive term in general elections held on May 12, allowing Prime Minister Phillip Davis and the Progressive Labor Party (PLP) to become the first party in 30 years to win a consecutive five-year term.

Just before midnight, it had become clear that the spirited effort by the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) to wrest power from the PLP had flamed out. Preliminary results are already showing that the PLP will win at least 32 of the 41 seats, almost repeating its parliamentary tally from the 2021 contest.

There were more than 40 multi-millionaires candidates on the list for parliament, as have been the case for previous elections.

A third party, the Coalition of Independents (COI), picked up close to 14,000 votes but no seats — and it’s being blamed by the FNM for being the spoiler that cost the party seats in key areas.

The election in The Bahamas was the third held in the 15-nation Caribbean Community for the year. The results clearly show a continuing trend of voters handing incumbent parties landslide mandates. In the case of Barbados, the labor party (BLP) was given all 30 district seats for a third consecutive time, while in Antigua the labor party (ABLP) carted away 15 of the 17 to condemn seemingly weak opposition parties to the political dustbin for another five years.

“The Bahamian people have made their choice,” Davis told jubilant supporters. “Today, the Bahamian people chose progress. Today, the Bahamian people chose to move forward — forward with our plans, forward with our team, and forward with my leadership. For all your trust and faith in our vision, we thank you. We thank you for sharing our confidence that together we can continue to build a better Bahamas.”

Until May 12, Bahamian voters had developed the habit of taking away power from parties after a single term, but Davis had passionately asked voters to stay with the PLP to allow it to continue economic reform and complete major projects such as a new Chinese-funded hospital in the capital.

FNM Leader Michael Pintard conceded defeat as religious songs blared from PLP loudspeakers at campaign headquarters.

Among the casualties were Security Minister Wayne Munroe and former Los Angeles Lakers three-time champion and superstar Rick Fox who fell short in his Garden Hills constituency for the FNM despite high profile endorsements from legends like Shaq O’Neal. Munroe appears to be a casualty of rising felony crime in the archipelago. He was the only minister who was booted out by voters.

“Today, the Bahamian people made their choice. In a democracy, that is the only voice that ultimately matters. The people of The Bahamas have spoken, and we accept their decision. That is how democracy works. We make our case, we ask for your trust, we count the ballots, and we honor what the count says. That has been the Bahamian way, and tonight we honor it again,” he said.