The Tribune

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

IN 1938, a British play gave us a new word. The play was set in the 1880s and was about a man trying to drive his wife insane so he could steal from her. He would subtly dim the gas lights in their home when she was alone, but pretending everything was fine so she could not trust herself.

The word it has left us with is gaslighting – a form of manipulation, and frankly something that we see all too often these days in the global political landscape. That wall was built, honest, even though you couldn’t see it. You know the kind of thing.

What brings me to this? Well, I read with some incredulity one of the speeches given by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis during his visit to the COP29 meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Climate policy is front and centre at COP29 – and the previous meetings have been very positive for both Mr Davis and The Bahamas.

His previous speeches have drawn international attention to the potential future that we face – one where rising waters will make large sections of our nation uninhabitable and where we risk ever-increasing damage from hurricanes. Mr Davis has been forthright, and his words have been listened to globally.

Now what the future of those talks will lead to with a climate change-denying president headed for the White House is another matter – but The Bahamas has been consistent in calling for action to deal with climate change, not just Mr Davis, but his predecessors too. It is a platform on which The Bahamas has been a leader.

It is important to say that – because there should be recognition of the good.

When Mr Davis spoke this year, there was one particular thing he called for – transparency.

The context of that I’ll get to in a moment, but it is rich coming from Mr Davis to call for transparency abroad while we see so little of it at home.

Mr Davis was speaking at the “Together Transparency opening event at Baku, and his speech was Celebrating the Transparency Journey”.

He said: “We stand at a crossroads where the price of inaction would fall on our children and grandchildren, and on communities that have contributed least to the problem, yet suffer its harshest impacts.”

He continued: “This is why transparency matters — why it is more than just a framework, but a fundamental tool in keeping us accountable and steadfast. Transparency builds trust and lays the groundwork for meaningful climate action. It helps track our successes, pinpoint areas for improvement, and keeps us on course to limit global warming. Without transparency, we risk losing both accountability and momentum.”

Mr Davis saluted those nations who have already submitted what are called Biennial Transparency Reports – countries such as Andorra, Guyana and Panama. Not us, as yet. He says that is in progress and “for us, transparency is a pledge to secure our future”.

He said: “Transparency is not merely a reporting requirement. It’s the backbone of real, lasting climate action. For countries, transparency means acknowledging where we stand and what we need.”

He added: “When we share openly and without hesitation, we create a legacy of trust and accountability that no political shift can undo.

“For countries, transparency means having the systems in place to set clear development goals, track progress, and make strategic adjustments when needed.

It empowers nations to monitor their own achievements, allocate resources wisely, and ensure that every action contributes directly to national priorities. Ultimately, transparency helps countries stay on course, providing the insights needed to make informed decisions and achieve meaningful results.

“For our young people, transparency is a beacon of hope. They look to us for certainty about their future. Transparency gives them something solid to believe in — a clear view of the progress and shortcomings in the fight for a livable planet.”

He also noted how businesses benefit from transparency, saying “they need access to reliable data”.

Mr Davis also cited the need for non-governmental organisations to hold government to account as the “stewards of accountability”. He said: “Transparency provides them with the data to hold leaders, institutions, and companies accountable. It is their shield and their sword, allowing them to challenge us, push us, and keep us true to our word.”

This is all great. Fantastic. So why don’t we do it at home?

I have been banging this drum many times in this column – so it is particularly frustrating to hear talk of transparency on one hand and a lack of action on the other.

Back in August 2022, Mr Davis was pretty clear when he followed in the footsteps of the Perry Christie administration, of which Mr Davis was Deputy Prime Minister, in saying that campaign finance legislation was not one of his government’s priorities.

It’s in their blueprint published on the campaign trail, just don’t expect them to hold to their promise.

How about the public disclosures required by law to be made by officials? Well, the US State Department noted the routine issuing of applications for extension to the deadline for those who were late to comply, and that there was no summary published of who did and did not declare or the amounts, and no sign of independent verification. For this year’s declarations, we still do not know if any parliamentarians broke the law – a law which has a punishment that can include jail time. It is treated with contempt.

Contract awards by the government are still not fully disclosed, it seems, leaving holes in which public money cannot be confidently said to be receiving value.

The recent Baha Mar court case revealed allegations of money being paid to a relative of a senior official for what a US judge said was to “curry favour”. A review of the ruling was reportedly ordered by Mr Davis by the Attorney General. No sign of that yet. The whole ruling is online. Everyone can review it, the PM included. But apparently we have to wait.

How about Freedom of Information? The laws have been passed, the commission sits spinning its wheels with not enough funds to do a thing. It has been parked on purpose, with no sign of getting in motion any time soon.

So when our government talks about transparency, I say wonderful. Great. Fantastic. Let’s have some. You can start right here at home.

But don’t gaslight us by talking about how important transparency is when you don’t follow through even on your own pledges on the issue.