By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor 

rrolle@tribunemedia.net 

THE Progressive Liberal Party unveiled a sweeping set of new policy proposals last night ahead of the general election, including a migrant health insurance scheme, tighter immigration enforcement, expanded worker protections, and a push to position The Bahamas as a regional leader in artificial intelligence.

The commitments were outlined during the party’s “Blueprint for Progress” launch event, where candidates and senior officials delivered brief presentations across major policy areas.

Among the most eye-catching proposals is a plan to require migrants to carry health insurance or enrol in a new migrant health insurance scheme, with officials signalling that the public healthcare system will no longer bear that burden alone.

The party also pledged a major expansion of immigration enforcement tools, including a National Biometric Immigration System, biometric e-gates to flag prior deportees and identity fraud, and daily overstay fines from the first day. Employers who hire undocumented workers would face escalating penalties, rising from $5,000 for a first offence to $15,000 and up to 12 months’ imprisonment for repeated breaches, along with the possibility of being barred from obtaining work permits.

The platform also proposes the creation of an Immigration Fraud Intelligence Unit and a Bahamian e-Verify system, alongside stricter penalties for public officers involved in document fraud and a stronger re-entry ban regime for those who breach immigration laws.

On the labour front, the PLP promised new legislation to overhaul workplace protections.

The proposed Employment Bill would cap probation periods at six months in the private sector and 12 months in the public service, guarantee a paid one-hour break on shifts of eight hours or more, and mandate at least eight hours of rest between shifts.

Workers would also gain three mental wellness days annually without the need for a doctor’s note, while maternity leave would increase from 12 to 14 weeks. The party has previously said mental wellness days would be unpaid. Last night, the party pledged two weeks of paid paternity leave and a legal right to adoption leave.

Employers would be required to provide breastfeeding breaks and suitable private spaces in workplaces with 20 or more employees.

The party also set out an aggressive push into artificial intelligence and digital governance, signalling a bid to place The Bahamas at the forefront of regional technology policy.

Plans include introducing an eGovernment Act requiring all public agencies to be integrated into the MyGateway platform within three years, expanding digital services, and launching a Bahamas AI Academy through the University of The Bahamas and BTVI.

Artificial intelligence would also be introduced into the national school curriculum, with adaptive AI learning tools deployed across government schools within the same timeframe.

The PLP said it would also establish an AI Governance Act, with specific restrictions including no use of facial recognition without parliamentary approval, no predictive policing of people, and no social scoring systems.

In housing, the party proposed a Social Housing Acquisition Programme to purchase and rehabilitate distressed or abandoned properties, alongside expanding affordable rental options through private-sector partnerships.

It also pledged to strengthen tenant protections through enforceable minimum standards, a national rental property registry, and the creation of a Residential Tenancy Authority with inspection and enforcement powers.

Families facing sudden displacement would be supported through a Temporary Social Housing initiative offering short-term accommodation and coordinated assistance.

On the economic front, the PLP said it would introduce modern competition law to combat price-fixing and abuse of market dominance, alongside a rapid-response system to investigate price gouging.

The party also pledged to create a Foreign Direct Investment Compliance Unit to audit concession agreements and ensure investors meet their obligations, and to require state-owned enterprises to submit binding business plans aimed at reducing reliance on government subsidies.

In agriculture, the platform sets out a plan to cut food import spending by 25 percent by 2030, supported by a suite of technology-driven initiatives, including a digital platform for farmers, an Agriculture Innovation Centre, and solar-powered container farming systems across several islands.

The party also proposed a National Agricultural Drone Programme and expanded support for young farmers through scholarships, land access, and mentorship.

For the Family Islands, the PLP pledged to develop a dedicated economic plan for each island, backed by targeted investment incentives and expanded support for tourism and local enterprise.

The plan includes public consultation on a new city in Andros and the creation of innovation hubs and business centres on major islands.

In healthcare, the party said it would extend health insurance coverage to all public servants, including contract workers, expand telemedicine access across major clinics within two years, and introduce legislation to address elder abandonment.

It also pledged a 10-year strategy targeting chronic diseases, a four-year national mental health and suicide prevention plan, and the launch of a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline alongside community mental health centres.