Millionaires on the Ballot: Suspicion or Inspiration?

ABAGAILCARTWRIGHT’S DEAN’S BLUE HOLE

Last week, headlines on social media centered on disclosures from the Parliamentary Registration Department—reported in the Nassau Guardian—that 54 candidates nominated for the May 12 election are millionaires.

The reaction was intense, but also telling. It exposed how little our people know or understand about net worth. Net worth is the total value of what a person owns minus what they owe. It reflects assets like property, businesses, and investments—not just the cash in their bank account.

Yet, almost immediately, the conversation turned to accusations—corruption, stolen public funds, or unfair access to contracts. But that narrative doesn’t fit every case. Individuals like Rick Fox, Andrew Johnson, Sebas Bastian, Dr. Veronica McIver, Renika Knowles and others have never held public office. So the assumption that their wealth came from public resources simply doesn’t apply.

Instead of suspicion, what if we saw something else?

I see discipline. I see long-term thinking. I see black Bahamian men and women who likely made consistent financial decisions—saving, investing, building—and are now benefiting from it. In a small country like ours, that matters. It shows that wealth creation is possible here, not just abroad.

More importantly, it challenges us. Are we teaching financial literacy? Are we encouraging investment and ownership? Are we too quick to tear down success because we don’t understand it? Or, does our culture believe that if you are wealthy, it must have come from illicit means?

Maybe the real issue isn’t that they are millionaires—but that more of us aren’t on the path to becoming one.

So the question is: will we continue to question their success—or start learning how to build our own?

-Abigail Cartwright