In less than four years, from July 2021 to March 2025, the government spent more than $250 million on consultancy services across various ministries, agencies and departments, according to budget documents.
Having been elected in September 2021, the Davis-led Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government oversaw the vast majority of that spending, which significantly outpaced the $167,131,539 in consultancy expenditure recorded over the previous four years, from July 2017 to June 2021.
In 2021/2022, $45,793,369 was spent on consulting services.
The figure increased notably in the 2022/2023 fiscal year, when $71,896,013 was spent.
In 2023/2024, the Davis administration spent $63,307,604 on consulting services, and by March in the 2024/2025 fiscal year, it had spent $72,142,147.
Spending data from the third quarter of the 2024/2025 year is still not available.
Information on consultant spending for the 2025/2026 fiscal year is also not yet available, but a total of $58,437,780 was budgeted for that period.
Under the Minnis-led Free National Movement (FNM) government, $33,797,523 was spent on consulting services in 2017/2018.
In 2018/2019, the spending totaled $47,844,125.
In 2019/2020, that administration spent $46,190,840 on consulting services, and in 2020/2021, it spent $39,299,051.
Both governments oversaw noticeably high spending on consultants in some areas, including the Department of Environmental Health, which spent $78,179,830 under the Minnis government and $73,117,754 so far under the Davis administration.
The line item, which is not in the 2025/2026 budget, seems to be related to landfill management contracts.
During the budget debate last June, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe noted that, since the Minnis administration, roughly $18 million had been allocated annually as consultancy services for the management of landfills in New Providence and Family Islands.
“I believe you all contracted this consultancy, and it was in the budget for $18.5 million last year,” he said in the House of Assembly, addressing members of the FNM.
“It is zero now, because the item has been moved to landfill management.”
Spending on consulting services within the Port Department was also high under both governments — $14,588,836 under the Minnis administration’s first four years and $17,298,570 under the Davis administration up to March 2025.
However, the Ministry of Finance’s expenditure increased substantially to $92,431,356 under the current government, up from $19,531,023 spent in total on consultants within the ministry under the Minnis government.
The Ministry of Tourism saw the largest increase, from just $159,992 spent in total under the Minnis government to $22,902,339 spent so far under the current government.
Under the Davis administration, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) spent a total of $3,952,964 on consultancy fees, up to March 2025. Of that, $3,294,120 was categorized under the OPM Delivery Unit.
Under the Minnis administration, OPM spent $958,697 on consultancy fees over four years.
Under the Minnis administration, however, the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs spent far more on consultancy services — $17,266,102 — compared to $8,152,051 spent in four years under the current government.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also saw a notable uptick in consulting spending — $1,277,230 under the current government, compared to $67,439 under the previous government.
This is likely attributable in large part to an architectural consultancy, valued at $1,099,545, for the renovation of The Bahamas’ Washington DC Embassy.
Government spending on consultancies has been a contentious matter for many years now across multiple administrations.
During last year’s budget debate, FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright charged that the money allocated for consultants could be better spent on issues like crime, public health, education, infrastructure and immigration
“With the long list of national needs staring down the government, what has been the impact of a $220 million spend at the end of this fiscal year?” he said.
“While the Bahamian people fully appreciate the need to use talented Bahamians and local companies to assist governments in the development of our nation, they expect value and results.”
Munroe, however, said the consultancy services allocations encompass important projects.
Among those he listed in the 2025/2026 budget were: $27 million for short-term consultancy contracts for accounting, financial and legal services; $4.8 million for tugboat services; $3.2 million for the maintenance of IT projects, external lawyers, professional consulting services related to cryptocurrency, website design and other tech-related matters; $2.3 million to address learning loss issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; $1.6 million for the company online registry and the CARS system for the civil registry; $1.5 million for the maintenance of the immigration integration management system; $770,000 for a land management consultancy; and $600,000 to digitize public service records.
He said the allocations also included operational expenses for the police liaison officer posted in Florida; funds for the Air Accident and Investigation Unit; funding for the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Bureau; funding for the Click 2 Clear renewal and maintenance service agreement; funding for the National Neighborhood Watch Council; professional services for the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner; the automation and digitization of the Port Office; and costs associated with the Climate Action Project, Eleuthera Pineapple Project, the disposal of hazardous waste at Arawak Cay, and a sanitation contract in Freeport.
