By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party officials hailed a new Local Government Bill as transformative during a debate in the House of Assembly, but opposition members accused the governing party of missing an opportunity to create substantial reform.

The bill, which seeks to repeal and replace the Local Government Act 1996, ignited debate among parliamentarians over its ability to address long-standing concerns voiced by local government members.

The Davis administration said the bill would grant Family Island councils greater financial control and autonomy, but opposition members countered that it is insufficient and fails to deliver the transformative change needed.

Works and Family Island Affairs Minister Clay Sweeting outlined the bill’s key provisions, including revenue-raising powers for councils, the hiring of assistant directors to support governance at the local level, and measures to streamline bureaucracy.

“This bill represents a significant leap forward for governance in The Bahamas, bringing decision-making closer to the people and enabling family islands to manage their communities with greater autonomy and effectiveness,” Mr Sweeting said.

The bill introduces revenue-raising mechanisms that will allow councils to generate funds independently for local projects, a move that Mr Sweeting argued would reduce reliance on central government subventions. 

Additionally, new provisions will enable local councils to approve building projects under 3,000 square feet without requiring approval from the Ministry of Works.

Opposition and Free National Movement (FNM) leader Michael Pintard dismissed the government’s claims, calling the bill “a move in the right direction”, but far from transformative.

“Let’s be clear,” Mr Pintard said. “The Free National Movement created local government, and this administration is tinkering around the edges. They had the opportunity to bring real reform, but this bill does not deliver.”

A point of contention during the debate was introducing a fixed election period for local government, which would occur every three years on the third Wednesday in June. 

Opposition members questioned whether the bill would delay upcoming elections due in January 2025, with Mr Pintard accusing the government of creating unnecessary confusion.

Mr Sweeting countered the opposition’s claims, explaining that the new timeline is intended to align local government elections with the fiscal year.

“It will assist with financial project planning and will enable practitioners to solidify community planning initiatives for their districts within their chairman’s office,” Mr Sweeting said.

Further criticisms came from opposition MP Adrian White, who claimed that local councils in some areas are severely underfunded and burdened with unrealistic demands. He noted that Family Island councils face “this or that” decisions on whether to fix potholes or repair docks due to limited resources.

While Minister Sweeting highlighted the government’s efforts to increase local government budgets by ten percent and provide councils with additional revenue-raising powers, he acknowledged that more work remains.

“It’s about less talk and more action,” Mr Sweeting said. “This administration is fulfilling promises that were neglected for decades.”

The debate became heated as MPs on both sides exchanged accusations. At one point, House Speaker Patricia Deveaux intervened to caution members against making unsubstantiated claims, particularly regarding allegations of missing funds from local council accounts.

Long Island MP Adrian Gibson noted that the bill does not introduce a local government system to New Providence, despite past promises by the PLP.

The former Minnis administration also promised to introduce local government to New Providence, but failed to do so.

Mr Gibson questioned why the bill does not replace chief councillors with mayors.