‘The only people I’m carrying water for are the folks in Eleuthera’: Pintard dismisses Davis on GBPA claims

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard hits back at Prime Minister Philip Davis after he labeled him a “water boy” for the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA).

“The only people I’m carrying water for are the folks in Eleuthera who can’t get water from this government,” Pintard said in a press conference on Wednesday, referencing the longstanding water supply problem on the island that has been exacerbated in recent months.

Highlighting other issues, he added, “We are carrying water for victims of crime that this government is slow to address…For people who can’t get their business license signed off on for their projects, because they are not on the right side of their politics. That’s who we are carrying water for.”

The big story

The government and the GBPA have been in a wrangle over alleged monies owed and a proposed increase of electricity by the Grand Bahama Power Company. Davis accused Pintard of siding with the authority and receiving five million dollars from the GBPA, but Pintard denies the claims.

The Bahamas has no campaign finance reform. Political organizations have historically received donations from organizations and claims are that both parties have received financial support from the GBPA.

What Pintard said

Pintard emphasized that such contributions have never influenced his stance on matters of governance and principle.

“All we’ve been doing is fighting. He (Davis) has not yet laid out a plan for Grand Bahama.

“We have said openly, divest, because we don’t believe that you (GBPA) have the wherewithal to transform Grand Bahama. That’s what we said to the owners. Does that sound like somebody who is carrying water for anyone?”