By JADE RUSSELL 

and KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporters

THE death of Vaughn Miller has created a vacant seat and exposed deep fractures in voter confidence, with long-time Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters disillusioned, some pledging to defect, and others questioning whether politics itself can deliver meaningful change.

Residents who spoke to The Tribune on Saturday described a constituency starved of attention, where potholes deepen, costs soar, and many say their representative’s presence in the community had waned long before his sudden passing on September 28.

Catherine Lowe, 72, a Golden Isles resident since 1992, lives just steps from the PLP’s constituency office yet could not recall the last time she saw Mr Miller and questioned what he accomplished as an MP for nearly eight years. “I don’t know personally who he do it for, but he ain’t do nothing for this community.”

Her frustration reflects a broader disenchantment among voters who say they feel abandoned by successive administrations. Ms Lowe, who backed Mr Miller when he ran under the Free National Movement (FNM), said she regretted that support. “They always say, but everybody’s doing the same thing,” she said. “Everybody want tief. I say well, let some new tief go there.” She said she would support the Coalition of Independents this time.

Mr Miller’s political journey embodied the partisan churn now exhausting many voters. Elected in 2017 as an FNM candidate, he was fired as a parliamentary secretary after voting against the Minnis administration’s VAT hike. He later resigned from the party after being a consistent, vocal critic. By 2020, he joined the PLP, citing his principles and frustration with the FNM’s decisions, such as leasing the Town Centre Mall, partly owned by the Symonette Family, to house the Post Office.

But some say his switch never translated into renewed engagement. Ms Lowe claimed the PLP under his tenure failed to create opportunities for young people, echoing another resident’s lament that graduates returning from abroad still struggle to find jobs.

Entrepreneur Shenique Burrows, 46, said many residents forgot Mr Miller was even their MP. “I come from hardcore PLPs,” she said, adding she is unsure whether she will vote for the PLP in a by-election or the next general election. She joked that local churches seemed to do more for the community than the governing party.

Others share her ambivalence but differ in degree. One woman, a resident since 2007, said she is unsure if she will vote at all, describing politics as a cycle of promises and neglect. Her husband, she added, is considering a third party. “Every political party starts off with good intentions,” she said, “but somehow forget the people who voted them in along the way.”

That sentiment — a weary detachment from both major parties — surfaced repeatedly during interviews across Golden Isles, including Coral Heights and nearby communities. Several residents complained of overgrown parks, worsening traffic, and concerns about illegal immigration. One woman said she has noticed frequent government travels while the cost of living is unbearable.

Another resident, Kevin Pratt, 57, said he now supports the COI. “Put some fresh breeze in this town. We need a change, serious change, in order to save this country,” he said.

Maria Dove, who divides her time between Golden Isles and another constituency, said MPs must be “more visible and accountable,” adding that residents worry about immigration’s effect on job competition and population growth.

Still, not everyone shared the criticism. Darroch George, 52, who moved to Golden Isles three years ago, said Mr Miller was “excellent” and “steadfast in his duties.” “That’ll be some big shoes to fill,” he said. “People looking for someone with empathy, understand? So him being a man of faith, he had the heart of the people.”

A Coral Heights man, 67, described Mr Miller’s performance as “okay,” saying he did not have high expectations but would vote PLP again. He rejected claims that young people lacked opportunity, arguing instead that most people don’t have the skills for the jobs.

The PLP is expected to hold a by-election to fill the vacancy, though some in the party believe Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis should call an early general election instead. According to party insiders, Senator Darron Pickstock is the leading name being considered for the nomination. They said if the by-election goes ahead, the PLP intends to frame the contest as a national battle between Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and FNM Leader Michael Pintard, rather than a hyper-local race focused on the two candidates.

Golden Isles is considered a swing seat, having alternated between the two major parties in recent elections.

FNMs note that their likely candidate, Brian Brown, is a former longtime general in the constituency who has been active on the ground for years and is now “on the frontlines” ahead of a possible vote. Mr Brown won just 37 percent of the vote in 2021 compared to Mr Miller, who won 50 percent.

A by-election would follow the PLP’s commanding performance in the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election in 2023, held after the death of Obie Wilchcombe. The governing party increased its margin of victory there compared to the 2021 general election.

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has urged Mr Davis to call a general election instead of a by-election, arguing that, given the country’s economic challenges, it would be wasteful to spend millions on a single constituency vote when broader national issues remain unresolved.

Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, a writ for a by-election must be issued within 21 to 30 days of a vacancy. Political observers believe the result in Golden Isles could serve as a gauge of the Davis administration’s support as it nears the end of its term.