Yvette Prince Candidate For Yamacraw COI

While we secure our birthright through Day One land registration, we are simultaneously building a Yamacraw that cares. Our seniors and special needs residents deserve more than promises, they deserve the priority they’ve been denied for too long.

I will break down the barriers to our beautiful shores.

I am building a sanctuary of care and connection.

For too long, our elderly and disabled have been shut in and shut out. I am committing to paving accessible pathways and installing rest-benches along our coastline, so every grandmother and every special-needs child can enjoy the healing power of the sea with their families.

Our residents deserve more than just a building; they deserve a community hub. I will establish the Yamacraw Community & Senior Center to provide professional treatment, daily entertainment, and new jobs, ensuring our most vulnerable are never lonely, never neglected, and always celebrated.

“Small changes make a huge difference in the quality of our daily lives.”
—YVETTE PRINCE, Candidate for Yamacraw

Infrastructure & Safety

• Repairing broken streetlights and addressing hazardous potholes.

• Removing flood-causing speed bumps and installing clear street signage.

• Establishing a visible, consistent community safety presence.

• Aggressively tackling the issue of derelict and abandoned buildings.

• Clearing overgrown bushes and ensuring regular street cleaning.

Beautification & Future Growth

• Launching the "Smart Park" initiative with cleanup and Wi-Fi integration.

• Coordinating bulk waste removal and community-wide debris clearing.

• Initiating a permanent "Beautification Program" for all Yamacraw main roads.

• Landscaping our public spaces to restore local curb appeal.

• Creating a "Clean Yamacraw" oversight team for ongoing maintenance.

Addressing Your Most Frequent Concerns for Yamacraw.

"How will you resolve the illegal immigration crisis?"

National State of Emergency: Declare an immediate state of emergency to treat illegal immigration as a national security crisis.

• Permanent Ban: Any person who enters the Bahamas illegally will be permanently banned from ever receiving legal status or citizenship.

• Merged Enforcement: Merge the Ministries of National Security and Immigration to create a more efficient, unified border control agency.

• Employer & Landlord Penalties: Enforce jail time and heavy fines for anyone hiring or housing illegal immigrants; repeat business offenders will lose their licenses.

• Shanty Town Removal: Demolish all illegal shanty towns and replace them with secure, regulated worker housing.

• End "Legalization Pathways": Oppose any new legislation that offers pardons or "loopholes" for those who have entered or stayed in the country unlawfully.

• Stop Public Incentives: End the issuance of work permits, visas, and free public services to those without legal status.

• Deputized Volunteers: Train and deputize Bahamian volunteers to assist in monitoring workplaces and communities.

"How are you going to fix flooding for good?"

Deep Well Drainage Systems: Install advanced, high-capacity deep wells in flood-prone zones to rapidly channel stormwater away from residential streets.

• Infrastructure Modernization: Completely overhaul and clear the existing drainage networks to ensure they are free of debris and fully functional before every hurricane season.

• Sustainable Road Design: Redesign local roads with built-in "sloping" and modern catchments to prevent water from pooling in low-lying areas.

• Regular Maintenance Schedules: Establish a strict, year-round maintenance program for all gullies and drainage wells to prevent the blockages that currently lead to flash flooding.

• Climate-Resilient Engineering: Build new infrastructure specifically designed to withstand the heavier rainfall and rising sea levels associated with modern climate threats.

• Natural Resource Protection: Protect and restore local mangroves and coastal buffers which act as natural barriers against sea surges and excessive runoff.FIRST

The Coalition of Independents (COI) aims to combat the cost of living crisis by shifting the economy toward Bahamian ownership and reducing dependence on expensive imports.

According to their Vision 2030 and 100-Day Plan, the core strategies include:

• Establish a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF): Use the country’s vast natural resources to fund national development and provide a direct "prosperity dividend" or social safety net for all Bahamians.

• National Food Security: Transform the Bahamas into a major farming center to reduce the high cost of imported food and ensure the nation can feed itself.

• Energy Reform: Lower electricity bills—one of the largest household expenses—by fixing the energy crisis and transitioning to more affordable and reliable power sources.

• Crown Land for All: Pass legislation within the first week of office to grant Crown land to every eligible Bahamian, reducing the high cost of property and housing.

• Tax & VAT Review: Implement broader tax reforms designed to put Bahamians first and make daily essentials more affordable.

• Eliminating Government Waste: Direct funds away from "sweetheart deals" and toward public services like accessible healthcare and youth empowerment programs.

"How will we make life affordable for every Bahamian?"

"How will you fix our schools and raise the national grade average?"

Customized Learning Paths: Move away from "one-size-fits-all" teaching by implementing individualized education plans that cater to the specific strengths and learning styles of each child.

• Infrastructure Transformation: Rebuild and modernize dilapidated schools to create "pristine" and "green" learning environments that foster creativity rather than neglect.

• Reduced Class Sizes: Address overcrowding by improving school design and expanding facilities to ensure proper teacher-student ratios, which is essential for raising the national grade average.

• Technology Integration: Infuse modern technology at all levels of the teaching process to replace archaic systems and prepare students for a competitive global economy.

• Curriculum Localization: Revise the curriculum so Bahamians can learn about their own country's history and resources from a position of ownership, rather than relying solely on foreign-based materials.

• Teacher Empowerment: Provide specialized training for teachers to identify and support learners with additional needs, ensuring no child is left behind in a crowded classroom.

• Youth & Skills Focus: Expand technical and vocational training to ensure that graduation leads directly to high-paying job opportunities and business ownership.

"How will you care for our seniors and citizens with disabilities?"

The elderly and disabled will be treated with the same dignity and respect as "royalty" in a "New Bahamas".

The support plan includes:

• Universal Accessibility: Eliminate all physical barriers in buildings, streets, and public transportation to create a "barrier-free nation".

• Dignified Living: Guarantee respect and dignity for the disabled and elderly, ensuring they are no longer "invisible" but empowered as full citizens.

• Life Assurance Program (LAP): Provide free healthcare to all Bahamians without exception, removing the financial burden of premiums for the vulnerable.

• Crown Land Grant: Provide at least one acre of Crown land to every eligible Bahamian, including the elderly and disabled, to ensure lifetime land ownership and security.

• Sovereign Wealth Fund Dividends: Use the nation's natural resources to provide a "perpetual source of prosperity," which can act as a financial safety net for those who cannot work.

• Modern Community Services: Organize community services to be more accessible, ensuring the elderly and disabled are integrated into the fabric of community life rather than isolated.

• Government Accountability: Ensure that social funds are used transparently for public services like healthcare and neighborhood revitalization rather than "sweetheart deals".

"How will you make our streets and communities safe again?"

The Coalition of Independents (COI) aims to restore community safety by transforming law enforcement into a respected and well-supported bedrock of society.

According to Vision 2030, the COI’s plan to tackle crime and improve community safety includes:

• Frontline Modernization: Prioritize competitive pay, expanded training, and legal protections to boost officer morale and professionalism.

• Equipping Officers: Arm law enforcement with modern tools and technology to improve effectiveness and "revolutionize" the force.

• Restoring Trust: Focus on transforming law enforcement into a respected institution to restore public trust in those who serve.

• Economic Crime Reduction: Address the "root causes" of crime by fixing the economy, with the belief that increasing national wealth and personal ownership will naturally lower crime rates.

• Merged Enforcement: Streamline national security by merging the Ministries of National Security and Immigration to create a unified and more powerful agency.

• Youth Focus: Invest in mentorship and programs that provide "safe havens" for young people to prevent them from entering a life of crime.

• Natural Resource Revenue: Use the Sovereign Wealth Fund to ensure all Bahamians are "owners" in their country, which the party argues is the ultimate deterrent to crime.

"How will you create good-paying jobs for every Bahamian?"

The Coalition of Independents (COI) plans to create jobs by shifting the economy from foreign dependency to Bahamian ownership. According to Vision 2030, the job creation strategy focuses on these core areas:

• Natural Resource Ownership: Establish a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) to manage the nation's natural resources, using the profits to fund national development and create high-paying industries for Bahamians.

• National Food Security: Transform the Bahamas into a major farming center, creating thousands of jobs in agriculture and reducing the cost of imported food.

• Fisheries Export Industry: Designate entire islands for the fishing industry to make the Bahamas a "world capital of fisheries," generating massive export revenue and local employment.

• Crown Land for Business: Provide every eligible Bahamian with Crown land to be used for farming, business, or housing, removing the high cost of entry for new local entrepreneurs.

• Small Business Support: Use the "Bahamas Business Boot Camp" and similar initiatives to provide citizens with the training and tools needed to own and operate their own businesses.

• Vocational Training: Overhaul the education system to include specialized vocational and agricultural training, ensuring students graduate with the skills needed for the new Bahamian-owned industries."

  How will we create good-paying jobs for every Bahamian?"

• Minimum Wage Increase: Implement a national minimum wage starting at $10 per hour, with scheduled increases to ensure a livable income for all workers.

• Infrastructure Projects: Launch major road and bridge projects across all islands to provide immediate, sustainable construction jobs.

• This question highlights the COI's commitment to transforming Bahamians from employees of foreign entities into owners and leaders of their own national industries.

"What is the plan for the abandoned and derelict buildings in our community?"

The Coalition of Independents (COI) addresses abandoned and derelict properties through a strategy of "Real and Lasting Transformation" aimed at revitalizing neglected neighborhoods.

According to Vision 2030 and the 100-Day Plan, the core actions include:

• Pristine Neighborhoods Initiative: Launch a national program to clean and beautify every community, transforming "derelict" areas into pristine, green spaces.

• National Land Registry: Create a transparent registry to clearly identify property owners, which is essential for resolving disputes and holding owners of abandoned sites accountable.

• Ending Quieting Titles Abuses: Reform laws to stop the fraudulent "quieting" of titles, which often leads to properties being abandoned during long-standing legal battles.

• Inner-City Revitalization: Actively work with community leaders to rebuild and restore areas plagued by neglect, ensuring long-term residents are empowered to take ownership of their neighborhoods.

• Affordable Housing Redevelopment: Utilize underused spaces to provide dignified, affordable single- and multi-family housing units for Bahamians.

• Crown Land Grants: By providing one acre of Crown land to every eligible Bahamian, the party aims to reduce the pressure that leads to overcrowded or substandard housing in urban areas.

• This question leads directly into the COI's commitment to cleaning up the "blight" and giving Bahamians the land and resources to build their own homes and businesses.

People are not being made Permenant and pensionable after 30 plus years at a goverment job.

• Immediate Review and Regularization: A commitment to review all long-term government contracts within their First 100 Days to identify and regularize employees who have been denied permanent status.

• Public Service Reform: Implementing a merit-based system that eliminates political favoritism, which the COI argues is the primary reason many qualified workers are bypassed for permanent and pensionable (P&P) appointments.

• Pension Protection: Advocating for a system where years of service are recognized regardless of previous status changes, ensuring those with 30+ years receive their full benefits upon retirement.

• Accountability for Government Agencies: Empowering Island State Councils and city governments to manage their own staffing, reducing the bureaucratic backlog from the central government that prevents workers from being confirmed.

Bahamians should not be taxed on land they own for residential purposes. They argue that real property tax is a "foreign tax" that effectively makes Bahamians rent their land from the government, putting them at risk of losing it if they cannot pay.

• Protection of Ancestral and Crown Land: The COI plans to pass legislation in its First Week in office to distribute Crown land to every eligible Bahamian. A key part of this reform is ensuring that this land remains in Bahamian hands and is protected from being seized due to tax arrears.

• Targeting Foreign Speculators: Instead of taxing Bahamian homeowners, the COI proposes shifting the tax burden to non-Bahamian landowners and foreign real estate speculators who leave land undeveloped.

• Decentralized Governance: Through the introduction of Island States and City Government, the COI plans to give local communities more control over land use and local fees, moving away from the centralized Real Property Tax system managed by the Department of Inland Revenue in Nassau.

• Constitutional Protection for Homeownership: Their broader "Republic" vision includes strengthening property rights so that a Bahamian's primary residence cannot be easily alienated by the state for tax purposes.

Stop the loss homes to real property tax.

Improve The Ease of Doing Business.

The COI proposes the following solutions to address these operational difficulties:

• Establishment of Island States & City Governments: A key pillar of Vision 2030 is decentralizing power away from Nassau. This would allow local "Island States" to manage their own licensing and permitting, moving these processes closer to the business owner and reducing the wait times associated with centralized government departments.

• Prioritizing Bahamian-Owned Businesses: The COI plans to restructure the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) to focus on a "Bahamians First" agenda. This includes removing discriminatory regulations that they argue currently favor foreign investors over local entrepreneurs.

• Direct Access to Resources: Their plan includes a roadmap for Banking and Finance that seeks to "reset the banking sector" in favor of the people. This aims to provide easier access to the credit and financial tools necessary for a business to move from the planning stage to being fully operational.

• Infrastructure for Local Industry: The COI aims to develop local industries in agriculture, fisheries, and renewable energy to provide the physical infrastructure—such as affordable energy and local supply chains—that businesses need to sustain operations.

• Simplified Licensing for Local Vendors: Leader Lincoln Bain has specifically advocated for the protection of local vendors (e.g., at Cabbage Beach) from being displaced by large developments, proposing that the government should instead simplify the path for these micro-businesses to operate legally and securely.

"How will you turn our 'side hustles' into a lasting business?"

• Part 1: The COI National Economic Vision

The national plan focuses on Financial Empowerment and Economic Sovereignty to ensure wealth stays in Bahamian hands:

• Monetizing Natural Wealth: Fund a Sovereign Wealth Fund using resources like aragonite, salt, and oil to provide a "prosperity dividend" for all citizens.

• Universal Access to Crown Land: Allocate one acre of Crown land to every Bahamian, providing the physical foundation for business ownership.

• Banking Reform: Restructure the banking sector to function as a "service for the people," prioritizing Bahamian interests over foreign profits.

• Seed Capital Access: Provide the necessary funding and startup capital so Bahamians can build and own their businesses without predatory debt.

• Trade Independence: Strengthen local manufacturing to reduce dependence on expensive imports and empower home-grown producers.

Part 2: Portfolio Mandate As Shadow Minister of Economic Affairs and Entreprenuership and Empowerment. My mandate is as follows,

• Global Reach for Local Brands: Create pathways to connect Yamacraw’s local entrepreneurs and "hustlers" to international markets to sell Bahamian products globally.

• Inclusive Economic Growth: Remove barriers specifically for young and female entrepreneurs in Yamacraw, ensuring they can succeed at home rather than seeking jobs abroad.

• Self-Sufficient Local Economy: Develop Yamacraw and the surrounding islands into self-sufficient hubs, reducing the cost of living through local food security and energy reform.

• Future Skills Training: Reform education within the community to focus on trades, high-level technology, and the practicalities of business-building.

• Wealth Retention: Implement policies that ensure the profits from Yamacraw’s local businesses remain within the community to fuel further growth.