Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Dr. Duane Sands said yesterday that a reported decision by the Davis administration to authorize a deal to use lease payments reportedly owed to former PLP Cabinet minister Leslie Miller’s properties to clear a $30 million debt and millions of dollars in outstanding real property taxes, is a slap in the face to Bahamians.
“It is the biggest slap in the face of the average man and woman who finds it hard to live to pay for food, mortgage, light bill, rent, school fees etc., to watch one of the special people and insiders of the PLP have $30 million written off,” Sands said when contacted for comment on the matter.
The Tribune first reported on the issue on Monday.
Miller’s attorney, Damian Gomez, noted that a deal between the government and his client had not yet been finalized.
Sands said, “If you are a PLP insider, everything is wonderful, it’s marvelous. That’s progress.
“But for everybody else, dog eat your lunch.”
On the issue of Miller’s outstanding real property taxes, Sands said, “The definition of obscenity doesn’t come with shades of grey.
“It’s obscene, end of story. Whether you go from the ridiculous to the sublime, still obscene. They will try to rationalize it with legal mumbo jumbo and talk of manner of foolishness. The Bahamian see it for what it is. It is a disgrace. They ought to be ashamed of themselves, and it shows that they have contempt for the average taxpayer who has to pay this bill.
“Just like all of the PLPs who have gotten secret awards, this is yet another one.”
Sands said there are two ambulances on the road in New Providence.
“There is a no kitchen at PMH today,” Sands said.
“To replace the kitchen won’t be $30 million.
“The priorities of this administration is take care of their people, the insiders, the few, not you.”
According to documents seen by The Nassau Guardian, Miller has not paid taxes on his Summerwinds Plaza companies in years.
One file, seen by The Guardian, showed that between 2002 and 2026, there was an outstanding balance of $2.1 million on the Robinwood Building. Another file showed a $199,115 outstanding balance, accrued between 2015 and 2025, for the Sunburst Building.
There was also $669,000 in outstanding real property taxes for the Front Plaza/Asure Win building, which accrued between 2008 and 2025. For Mario’s Bowling Lane there was a balance of $2.1 million for the period between 2009 and 2025, and there was an total balance of $101,281 for the Church/Preschool Building.
When contacted by the Tribune regarding the outstanding real property taxes, Miller is reported as saying that he had “never seen” the 2025 and 2026 real property tax bills for “Mario’s Bowling Lane”.
According to the Tribune, Miller said “that they would have been sent to Bahamas Resolve because the special purpose vehicle has control of Summerwinds Plaza through the loan security over it”.
In 2018, under the Minnis administration, Miller sued the government for breach of contract over the rental of his Summerwinds Plaza buildings off the Tonique Williams Darling Highway to house various government agencies.
Under the Christie administration, Miller was awarded a multi-year lease agreement to house the Ministry of the Public Service and National Insurance that was never fulfilled.
The FNM has said that when it came to office in 2017, “it met a lease arrangement in place – but with facilities in varying states of severe disrepair”.
In 2023, The Guardian reported that the Davis administration awarded Miller a contract to house the Road Traffic Department.
In a statement yesterday, Latrae Rahming, the director of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, hit out at the Tribune’s story.
“It is regrettable that The Tribune did not seek a response from the government before publishing its headline, which risks misleading the public,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Had the government been contacted, we could have provided the relevant facts and avoided confusion arising from the framing of the story. I have since been in communication with The Tribune and appreciate their engagement and understanding.
“As Mr. Leslie Miller’s attorney, Damian Gomez, has confirmed, no settlement has been finalized. No amount has been agreed. Nothing has been approved, confirmed, or concluded. Discussions remain ongoing and subject to negotiation.
“The Office of the Attorney General is in possession of legal advice, previously shared with Cabinet under the former administration, which confirmed that the leases executed by the government in relation to the Summerwinds development were valid and enforceable, and that there was a breach of contract by the government.
“That advice was ignored by the previous administration, creating the liability now being addressed.
“The government will be guided by the law, the facts, and the public interest.”
