By EARYEL BOWLEG 

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribubemedia.net 

THE returning officer responsible for overseeing the Golden Isles by-election has defended his impartiality after Monday’s chaotic standoff over the handling of advance poll ballot boxes - despite admitting he called Prime Minister Philip 'Brave' Davis his 'adopted father.

Neil Campbell — the official tasked with supervising the vote count, certifying the results, and ensuring polling procedures are legally followed — found himself at the centre of the dispute after FNM leader Michael Pintard accused him of having political conflicts of interest, including claims he once served as PLP leader Mr Davis’ campaign general.

Mr Campbell dismissed the allegations as unfair and unfounded, saying his personal relationships have never influenced his professional conduct. He pointed to his Cat Island roots, noting he returned there as a teacher and voted like “everybody else who was registered.”

He said his ties run across party lines: Mr Pintard is his cousin, he has known FNM candidate Brian Brown since childhood, and his mother considered Mr Brown her adopted son.

“I call Mr Davis my adopted father," he said. 

"What I choose is like every other Bahamian. They have the right of choice. No one could say how I act professionally, because, regardless of where I am, I have an oath just like anybody who will even take the prime minister's office. They have an oath to serve everyone."

He added that the public criticisms now leave him questioning whether he would be treated fairly if others take office. “When we make certain statements, I now believe if you take that oath and I will now be your target," he said. "I've never said anything about anybody for them, to feel that they will not be treated fairly by me.

“But when you start making statements against me, if you take your office, I now believe that I’ll be victimised. That's what I would believe, because I never said to anybody, that I'm no general. I know I'm a public servant. I know that I'm from Cat Island. I know Mr. Davis is from Cat Island.”

He stressed that he has never worn partisan clothing or acted politically. “No one has seen me in no Progressive Liberal Party shirt, FNM, shirt or whatsoever. But somebody's choice is their choice, and in The Bahamas, how we vote and who decide to support is personal to us. It's private and confidential,” he said. 

When reporters asked whether he volunteered for Mr Davis’ campaign, Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson intervened said reporters were getting personal with their questions. 

The Department of the Parliamentary Registration held a press conference yesterday to address the confrontation, which erupted after FNM and Coalition of Independents supporters blocked the removal of ballot boxes, claiming officials were deviating from an agreement about how the boxes would be transported.

Officials insisted the process inside the polling station had been orderly and lawful, and that agents witnessed and signed off on every step of the sealing procedure.

Mr Campbell is the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Cat Island’s former island administrator. He said he has served in five general elections, seven local government elections, ten labour elections, and several Bahamas Union of Teachers elections, with international training on election observation.

Monday's dispute erupted after the advance poll closed. FNM and COI supporters blocked the exit, claiming returning officers were not honouring a Wednesday agreement allowing party representatives to accompany the ballot box to the Parliamentary Registrar.

The parliamentary commissioner said the issue was raised but no final decision had been made. “Like I explained to them in my time as returning officers, the agents never ride in the bus with the ballot box,” he said. “The Bahamas is the only place that is requested.”

Mr Thompson called the confrontation deeply regrettable and entirely avoidable, saying public officers were threatened despite a smooth, lawful voting process. 

“In moments like these, sober judgment and responsible leadership must prevail. Yesterday, they did not," he said. 

Advance poll presiding officer Montez Williams said there had been no complaints and nothing improper inside, leaving officials “shocked and surprised” by the chaos outside.

Mr Campbell said he visited the parliamentary commissioner throughout the day to clarify previous agreements he had missed. He said party representatives agreed at noon to convoy behind the vehicle carrying the ballot box. 

He said agents requested multiple additional steps that officials accommodated, including slowing the count, recounting stacks, showing materials again, and even tapping the bottom of the ballot box. 

He said sealing took longer because every envelope had to be signed at multiple tables. 

Mr Campbell said tensions rose after he overheard a phone call from Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis mentioning a vehicle change. She warned the gate would be blocked.

He said as he walked outside with officers, a crowd surged toward him. 

He said he tried to calm the situation but was confronted again. 

A compromise was reached to transport the box on a larger bus so party agents could ride along. Mr Campbell suggested allowing two agents; in the end, three were permitted — matching the number allowed inside the precinct.

Mr Campbell said the hostility has rattled senior civil servants. “Now for the episode last evening, we have a whole team now saying that they're not going to work for this election," he said. "These are senior government officials.”