NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Bahamas’ two main political parties are at odds over which of them has a better crime plan for the country amid the unofficial start of campaigning for the next general election, constitutionally due by September 2026, but widely expected to be held before that date.
The ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has dismissed the crime plan of the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) as a “recycling of ideas that are already being acted on.
“Under the Davis administration, crime is being confronted with the most comprehensive plan in our nation’s history, the five-pillar strategy.
“This plan is not on paper. It is being implemented across the country. Major crime has fallen sharply. Guns are being seized in record numbers in partnership with international partners. Gang networks are being disrupted. The courts are working through backlogs and delivering more convictions,” the PLP said in a statement.
FNM leader Michael Pintard, speaking at the launch of the party’s 10-point crime plan on Sunday, said that the Phillip Davis administration had no comprehensive plan to deal with crime in the country.
Pintard said the crime plan of his party if elected to government includes hiring and retaining more police officers; restoring trust in the force; broadening community policing; modernizing the force; clearing the backlogs in the court; “updating loose laws”; as well as addressing the abuse of bail; expanding rehabilitation programs for offenders and victims; investing in crime prevention; and reviving communities.
Pintard told a news conference these 10 steps form a plan that is “tough, balanced, and achievable.
“They are not promises for tomorrow, they are actions we will take under an FNM government to make our communities safer and give our young people better choices. This is the path forward: firm enforcement, real prevention, and genuine intervention. And it is the plan the FNM is ready to deliver.
“Bahamians, the crisis we face is real, but so is our ability to overcome it,” Pintard said, adding that, if elected, an FNM government would launch a significant recruitment drive “guided by the FNM’s workforce audit, to put more police where they are needed most.
“The FNM will strengthen independent oversight. We will amend and enforce the Independent Commission of Investigations Act to root out corruption and serious misconduct in law enforcement, while protecting good officers from malicious complaints. That means independent appointments, stronger investigators, and regular public reporting so Bahamians can trust the system.
“We will commission a full, expert-led review of policing within the first year of office, covering training, leadership, standards, technology, and equipment, to ensure the Royal Bahamas Police Force is modern, professional, and fully prepared to meet today’s challenges.”
He said an FNM government would move to expand virtual hearings to cut court delays, digitize case management, and build a modern forensic lab, so evidence moves faster.
“We will also strengthen specialized courts, from gun courts that deliver swift justice to drug and mental health courts proven worldwide to reduce reoffending,” he said, noting also plans to modernize the Firearms Act to address the threat of high-powered weapons, 3D printed guns, and ghost guns.
“At the same time, we will review whether current sentences need to be toughened up to respond decisively to gun crime and the alarming rise in sexual violence against women and children,” he said.
Regarding bail, Pintard said while the FNM respects the independence of the courts, it will appeal questionable bail decisions, ensure the system has the resources to do so, and work with police to supervise those on release better.
“We will also consider sensible reforms to the Bail Act, including stricter mandatory conditions to give Bahamians greater protection. We need a robust system to monitor prolific offenders who have been charged multiple times to prevent further crimes,” Pintard said.
But in its statement, the ruling PLP said that “to pretend these efforts are not happening is to insult the hard work of the police officers who put their lives on the line every day.
“The Progressive Liberal Party stands with the Bahamian people, who deserve more than empty rhetoric,” the party said.
Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles, delivering the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s mid-year crime report in July, told a news conference that there had been a 14 per cent drop in overall crime, with 1,223 cases recorded so far this year compared to 1,420 during the same period in 2024.
Notably, murders decreased by 26 per cent, with 44 homicides in 2025 compared to 60 in 2024. Knowles reported that 64 percent of those cases have been solved, and that 84 percent of victims were between the ages of 18 and 45.
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