Opposition Leader Michael Pintard on Wednesday accused the Davis administration of “misappropriating” taxpayer funds by taking money out of the Public Treasury and putting it in the hands of someone outside of government to induce voters in the recent general election.
Despite being challenged multiple times by the opposition to address the matter of the vouchers directly, Prime Minister Philip Davis refused to do so.
The issue was raised by Long Island MP Dr. Andre Rollins during the budget debate in the House of Assembly.
Reports that taxpayer-funded vouchers with the name of then-Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate for Central and South Abaco Bradley Fox were handed out prior to the election have been widely reported. Minister of Finance Michael Halkitis previously promised reporters that the claim will be addressed during the budget debate, but he did not do so at the start of the debate last week, nor did he address it when he wrapped up the debate last night.
The Tribune first reported the matter two weeks before the election, stating that $200,000 in vouchers were given out. The newspaper said the chief executive officer of Premier Importers, Chris Lleida, informed that the vouchers were paid for by the Ministry of Finance.
The finance ministry’s procurement report for March shows that it awarded several other contracts through requests for proposals (RFP) on March 20, 2026. Those contracts amounted to $900,000 in vouchers under the heading “Voucher Building Materials”, but there has also not been an explanation for those awards that came so close to the election, which was held on May 12.
Rollins raised the matter in the House when he stood on a point of order after North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish, while contributing to the budget debate, said, “I admire the maturity of this government, because you know why? Because we don’t discriminate.” Cornish was speaking in the context of infrastructure works promised for various islands.
“That is another untruth, and he is misleading the House,” Rollins said.
“He is misleading the House, and I’ll tell you why. The FNM, the COI or any independent candidates did not get vouchers with their names on it paid for by the Public Treasury, and it is a disgrace that that was allowed to be done under your administration, Mr. Prime Minister, and member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.
“Never in the history of this country has the government allowed the people’s money to be used to prosecute a political campaign … never in the history of this country has the government used taxpayer money to fund a campaign for one of its candidates, and you have the nerve to say that you do not discriminate? The record shows differently, sir.”
Davis did not respond directly to Rollins’ claim on the vouchers, but claimed that when Pintard ran against him in Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador in 2012, the then-Free National Movement administration was seeking to buy the election through the use of public money.
“You ask Marco City (Pintard) what was done in the 2012 election in Cat Island when he was the candidate. I still have all the receipts. I still have all the letters that were issued even on election day for him,” Davis said.
Rollins shouted that it was a red herring.
Davis responded, “It’s not a red herring. I’ll refer you to the first sitting of the House after the May 7 election and my contribution where I laid all those documents on the table of the House. On the day, May 7 election, the grants for start-up business, $7,500, a number of them, that I laid in this House.
“I also laid in this House the number of persons that they hired within a period of six months. An administrator had to step aside because he was afraid of the instructions he was being given to ensure that I get beat, and I will go further. Ask the clerk of the House to pull those records, because I laid them here in May of 2012.”
Rollins responded, “At no time has the Free National Movement issued vouchers.” It appears his mic was killed after that, as he continued shouting his response.
Pintard then stated, “Madam Speaker, I understand that the member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador was accusing our administration, that he referenced my name, that we were giving out stuff in Cat Island. If he put that on the public record, what he is saying is completely false.
“The member for Cat Island is really the poster child for patronage. He has never missed an opportunity to incentivise voters by depositing substantial sums at various stores in Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador, but we weren’t carrying on about that, so he should not involve us in that matter. It is wrong for him to involve us in that matter in defending a point they cannot defend. The point being raised by Long Island is indefensible, so don’t involve me in that.”
Pintard challenged Davis to answer the question on the vouchers reportedly paid for through the Ministry of Finance in a PLP bid to buy votes.
Davis responded that he was not going to get involved in “distractions” and repeated that the FNM administration had tried to buy votes in 2012.
Pintard insisted, “The member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador admits that they gave out vouchers. What we are saying is that the vouchers … were purchased by the Ministry of Finance.
“There’s no way a government should be able to take $200,000 or $900,000 out of the Treasury and use it for political purposes to put in the hands of someone who is not a member of the government to distribute in order to get votes. The prime minister has admitted on his feet, they engaged in $200,000, $900,000 misappropriation of funds, Madam Speaker. That’s what the facts are. He admitted it on his feet.”
