By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration sharply rebuked FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright’s proposed $10m fire reform plan yesterday, calling it “political showmanship grounded in fiction” and “laughably inaccurate”.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe and Minister of State Leon Lundy slammed the FNM’s plan to deliver 25 fire trucks and a firefighting aircraft as “wildly off base”, saying the Opposition never consulted the agencies responsible for frontline emergency response before making their announcement.

The ministers offered cost breakdowns to refute the FNM’s estimates: a single aerial ladder truck exceeds $1.2m USD; pumpers range between $700,000 and $800,000 each; and a full package of 21 trucks under current procurement totals $14.7m USD. A basic aerial firefighting aircraft, the Air Tractor AT-802F, costs around $3m, while more advanced amphibious models like the CL-415 SuperScooper range from $30-45m.

Mr Cartwright’s plan includes creating a stand-alone fire department reporting directly to high-level leadership, developing a trained volunteer brigade, and instituting a “five-minute response time” model, funded by cutting luxury government travel and scrapping the Prime Minister’s private plane.

But Mr Munroe and Mr Lundy pushed back hard, warning that Mr Cartwright’s plan lacks technical and operational grounding.

“Sound public policy cannot be shaped in the absence of technical advice, operational knowledge, or real data,” their statement said.

The ministers emphasised that the Davis administration is pursuing a structured national upgrade of fire services based on “real numbers, professional assessments, and strategic planning,” and reiterated their commitment to supporting the Royal Bahamas Police Force Fire Branch with new training and resources.

“The Bahamian people expect mature leadership and serious proposals — particularly when dealing with critical national infrastructure,” they said. “While the Opposition is free to make suggestions, those suggestions must be rooted in fact, grounded in consultation, and aligned with the country’s fiscal and operational realities. Unfortunately, this recent announcement by the FNM fails on all counts.”