PM Davis Hails First Fiscal Surplus, Eleuthera Gets a Power Pledge, and the NIF Probe Turns to the Attorneys General

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

An afternoon update across the chain: Exuma counts down to tomorrow’s Business Outlook, Eleuthera hears a minister’s pledge on power while outages continue, Grand Bahama crowns a $10,000 winner, and in Nassau the Prime Minister announces a preliminary fiscal surplus as the Public Accounts Committee prepares to question the current and former Attorneys General.

Listen to the full briefing

Exuma: Business Outlook tomorrow

The Exuma Business Outlook is tomorrow, Thursday, October 15, at the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Community Centre in George Town, with Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper leading the speakers. Source: The Tribune

Sampson Cay status: still no ruling in the challenge to the Rosewood Exuma environmental approvals.

The far south: a quiet afternoon check

From Inagua and Mayaguana through Acklins, Crooked Island and Ragged Island, we found no new local headlines in this afternoon check of the major newsrooms.

Long Island status only: there is still no new government response to the mailboat delays and empty shelves residents described to Our News. Source: Our News

Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay: no new local headlines.

Eleuthera: a minister’s power pledge as outages continue

“We are moving.” Clay Sweeting, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs and MP for Central and South Eleuthera, pledged to keep pressing for more reliable electricity in a statement recorded at Hatchet Bay, where construction is under way on EA Energy’s new power plant. The hybrid facility is planned to combine solar photovoltaic generation, liquefied natural gas power and battery energy storage alongside BPL’s existing station, as part of a wider push to modernise supply on Eleuthera and Abaco and cut reliance on ageing diesel generators. Source: The Tribune

Residents still waiting. Residents reported repeated BPL interruptions over the holiday weekend. Mr McKenzie said the outages are especially worrying for the elderly and for people whose medication, such as insulin, must stay refrigerated: “There is no excuse for this.” Ms Rolle said bills are arriving “near double,” that running a generator around the clock can cost hundreds with today’s fuel prices, and asked whether customers will get credits for power they paid for but could not use.

Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini and Abaco: no brand-new local headlines in this check.

Grand Bahama: a $10,000 winner, and a Friday deadline

Pop & Redeem finale. Sands Beer closed its Pop & Redeem Reloaded campaign with a Finale Beerfest at the Bahamian Brewery grounds in Freeport, the first time the promotion came to Grand Bahama. Nassau resident Demetrie Duncombe claimed the $10,000 grand prize, and Johny Cake and the Deep South Island Boys Band performed. Source: The Tribune

Still watching. Union leader Obie Ferguson’s Friday deadline for the government to pay former Grand Lucayan workers is close.

Nassau and the nation: a surplus, the NIF probe, BTC and cross country

A preliminary surplus. Prime Minister Philip Davis told the House of Assembly that The Bahamas recorded a preliminary fiscal surplus of $39.3 million for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, about 0.2 percent of GDP, and called it the first fiscal surplus recorded in an independent Bahamas. Tabling the Ministry of Finance’s June 2026 fiscal summary, he said the public finances moved from a deficit of 12.5 percent of GDP to a surplus in five fiscal years. Preliminary figures show total revenue of $3.96 billion (up 16.6 percent), VAT up 14.9 percent to $1.65 billion, and total spending up 12.6 percent to $3.92 billion. Davis credited better collection and compliance rather than new burdens on households. Source: Bahamas Press

NIF probe turns to the Attorneys General. The Opposition-controlled Public Accounts Committee hopes to interview Attorney General Wayne Munroe KC and his predecessor, Ryan Pinder KC, tomorrow over the National Investment Fund. FNM leader Michael Pintard said the committee wants to know what legal authority officials relied on, and who gave the advice, when an account was opened in the Fund’s name and when about $311 million was spent on airports, roads, water infrastructure and court complexes. He said the committee has yet to see documents confirming almost $700 million was deposited with the Fund. Finance Minister Michael Halkitis has said the government stayed within the law and acted on advice from the Attorney General’s Office. Source: The Tribune

BTC listening tour. New BTC chief executive Gravette Brown has begun a company-wide listening tour, including the Family Islands, after meeting the BCPOU and BCPMU unions, saying there is more work to do to deliver the reliable service customers expect. Source: ZNS Bahamas

Cross country. Silver Lightning Athletic Club staged the seventh annual William “Knucklehead” Johnson Cross Country Invitational at St Augustine’s College on Saturday despite a rain delay. Winners included Mason Sadowski of King’s College School (under-11 boys), Felicia Moss of Rhythm Runners Athletics (under-11 girls) and Samantha Saunders of Peak Athletics (under-20 girls). Source: The Tribune

Weather and tropical outlook

New Providence on Wednesday: warm and mostly cloudy, a high near 88°F, a low around 77°F, east-northeast winds up to about 11 mph, and about a 20 percent shower chance. Thursday: a high near 88°F, a low near 77°F, east-southeast winds around 10 mph, and about a 25 percent chance of passing showers (Open-Meteo). The U.S. National Hurricane Center reports tropical cyclone formation is not expected over the next 7 days.

Our advice

If you keep insulin or other medicine refrigerated, keep a cooler and ice packs ready for outages and ask your pharmacist how long your medicine stays safe out of the cold. And when the government talks about surpluses and funds, remember it is your money: follow the Public Accounts Committee and ask your MP the hard questions.