The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

CLAIMS by Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard that more than 250 fraudulent document cases are under investigation triggered a rebuke from the Davis administration yesterday, with officials accusing him of creating fear based on inaccurate or incomplete information.

Mr Pintard made the allegation in the House of Assembly, tabling what he described as a partial list of investigations, including cases involving E-passports. He said several matters are already before the courts.

Documents later shared by the FNM included a spreadsheet labelled “Issued E-passports Applications under Investigation,” listing more than 70 people who were allegedly issued passports between 2018 and 2024. There was no indication of the documents' origin.

Mr Pintard said in a statement that the prime minister had characterised fraudulent passport cases as isolated, while pointing to what he described as publicly documented investigations into the fraudulent acquisition of passports, National Insurance Board cards, birth certificates and spousal permits.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday evening, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis rejected Mr Pintard’s claim that he had described passport-related issues as an “isolated incident”, reiterating that while the matter is concerning, it does not pose a systemic threat.

Mr Davis also urged Mr Pintard to heed comments by former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham regarding the voters’ register. In November 2025, Mr Ingraham told supporters at a Free National Movement rally not to worry about the transparency of the Golden Isles by-election, saying there are sufficient safeguards to prevent election fraud.

Mr Davis said Mr Pintard should stop “jumping and shouting” about ineligible names on the voters’ register and instead rely on existing rules.

Mr Pintard argued that the issue is urgent, warning that when identity fraud intersects with the voters’ register, it threatens the integrity of the democratic process. He said the party’s review of the partial list identified eight names that also appear on the register.

“That’s at least eight people connected to active identity fraud investigations who are on the roll that will determine the outcome of the next general election,” Mr Pintard said.

“The Prime Minister cannot continue to look past these findings. Doing so in the face of mounting evidence can be seen as negligence or interference, and either possibility demands accountability.”

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe questioned the origin of the documents tabled by Mr Pintard, saying they do not appear to come from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Department of Immigration or the Passport Office. He said Mr Pintard should disclose the source of the material used to support the claims.

Mr Munroe also told The Tribune there has not been an uptick in investigations into fraudulent documents, but noted an increase in cyber-related activity, with people being tricked into providing credentials for accounts.

The Parliamentary Registration Department has repeatedly defended the integrity of the voters’ register, insisting that safeguards are in place.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urged caution in interpreting the documents released by the FNM.

“Those documents may tell only part of the story,” the ministry said. “It may well emerge that, consistent with his usual practice, he has relied on documents that were improperly obtained and has presented them in a manner that is incomplete and irresponsible.”

The ministry said the public should be assured that Bahamian passports are issued properly, lawfully and with due care.

“Having now chosen to cast doubt on the integrity of the Bahamian passport, the Leader of the Opposition must explain the conclusion reached by the Minnis cabinet, of which he was a part, and which this Government has since reversed,” it said. “That conclusion led to a loosening of the standards applied to the review of supporting documents, a matter that may help explain why these investigations became necessary.”

“A responsible government must proceed with care before making allegations against private citizens while investigations remain ongoing. The Leader of the Opposition has again placed political chicanery ahead of sound judgment.”