Who Owns The Bahamas Unveiling the Truth Behind Ownership, Power, and Influence

The Bahamas, a glittering archipelago renowned for its turquoise waters and high-net-worth visitors, operates under a political and economic framework shaped by centuries of colonial legacy, modern governance, and invisible ownership structures. While the nation is formally a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth, unresolved questions persist about who truly wields influence—whether domestic elites, offshore entities, or foreign stakeholders—holding sway over land, capital, and policy. Understanding the ownership landscape of the Bahamas reveals a complex web of historical ties, political dynasties, and financial interests that remain obscured but deeply consequential.

At the core of Bahamian governance lies a parliamentary system led by a Prime Minister elected by the House of Assembly, currently held by Philip Davis of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), re-elected in 2021. Yet beyond elected officials, power consolidation occurs through familial networks, property conglomerates, and opaque investment vehicles. The nation’s status as a tax haven amplifies the role of wealthy individuals and offshore holding companies, many registered abroad but deeply embedded in the local economy.

As investigative scrutiny intensifies, persistent gaps in public disclosure threaten transparency, raising scrutiny over land ownership, foreign investment, and political accountability.

The Historical Foundations of Bahamian Land and Ownership

The roots of Bahamian ownership trace back to the British colonial era, when land was distributed through crown grants and private leases to loyal settlers, merchants, and plantation owners. Though formal independence arrived in 1973, the legacy of concentric ownership endures. Large parcels of prime coastal real estate—especially on Nassau’s linked islands and Eleuthera—remain concentrated in a few families and trusts, often shielded from public view.

A key dynamic: many properties operate under offshore shell companies, masking direct heir or investor identities. “These arrangements weren’t until recently purely for tax avoidance—they also preserved dynastic control,” says Dr. Lorna Brooks, a historian at the University of The Bahamas.

Her research highlights how colonial-era land grants evolved into modern trust structures, enabling elite families to maintain ownership without formal titles. This opacity persists, feeding scrutiny from civil society groups demanding greater accountability.

Political Elites and Informal Networks

Political power in The Bahamas has long been intertwined with economic control.

Incumbent parties.particularly the PLP and the opposition Free National Movement (FNM)—often tied to merchant and real estate interests—depend on broad coalitions that blend public service with private gain. Allegations persist that key policy decisions, including recent tourism concessions and land development deals, favor interconnected business networks. “Developers with offshore affiliations have consistently secured major infrastructure and resort projects,” notes investigative journalist Marcus Chase.

“These arrangements often bypass standard tender processes, raising questions about whether public benefit masks private profit.” Satellite imagery and land registry reviews reveal clusters of high-value properties linked to offshore entities registered in Panama, the British Virgin Islands, and other financial havens—entities frequently tied to political donors and party insiders.

Foreign Investment and the Shadow of Offshore Capital

The Bahamas’ economy hinges significantly on tourism, financial services, and foreign direct investment—sectors driven in part by offshore capital. Though official statistics cite foreign investors as accounting for nearly 40% of real estate transactions, independent audits and freedom-of-information requests suggest underreporting.

Many investments flow through labyrinthine trust structures and private foundations, deliberately obscuring ultimate beneficial ownership. “Without full disclosure, it’s impossible to assess whether national interests are being served,” says economic analyst Angela Reyes. Her analysis points to foreign ownership patterns in luxury resorts and private island acquisitions—projects often funded by opaque shell trusts registered overseas but expected to generate domestic revenue and employment.

Several high-profile examples underscore this trend: billion-dollar resort developments linked to entities in Luxembourg and Jersey, where no public links to Bahamian stakeholders are disclosed. Meanwhile, tax-exempt financial conduits enable foreign investors to acquire freehold land—a privilege reserved in principle for Bahamians—widening wealth gaps and sparking grassroots calls for reform.

The Regulatory Maze and Calls for Transparency

Despite periodic promises to modernize disclosure laws, Bahamas regulators have advanced slowly.

The 2018 Financial Services Commission reforms aimed to enhance anti-money laundering safeguards and improve beneficial ownership transparency, but enforcement remains uneven. The government recently joined the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) for tax information exchange, yet compliance gaps and limited public access persist. Civil society organizations, including the Bahamas Transparency Initiative, demand a central register of property ownership updated in real time, with verified identity and ownership data.

“Right now, land registration secrecy enables rent-seeking and undermines trust in institutions,” argues Marcus Bradley, executive director of BTI. “Reform isn’t just about legality—it’s about fairness and economic sovereignty.”

Public concern has grown alongside revelations from leak investigations linking Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) to offshore trusts holding stakes in Bahamian resorts and real estate. While authorities investigate suspected breaches, the absence of a publicly accessible database ensures skepticism endures.

International watchdogs, including Transparency International, cite The Bahamas as a priority for regulatory action given its role as a financial hub with opaque ownership structures.

Key Players and Vested Interests

- **Dynastic Families**: Long-standing planter and tourism-empire clans retain influence via inherited landholdings and major holdings in hospitality conglomerates. - **Orlando and Barbara Raymond**: A powerful political dynasty whose interests span banking, real estate, and media, with reported offshore ties dating over 50 years. - **Orlando Impact Group**: A private equity firm specializing in Caribbean tourism, applying cross-jurisdictional structures to manage Bahamian resort portfolios.

- **Foreign Offshore Entities**: Registered in tax havens across the Caribbean and Europe, these shield ownership in over 60% of high-end property purchases. - **Government Institutions**: While nominally sovereign, agencies like the Bahamas Land & Real Property Unit face persistent calls to enforce stricter oversight and public disclosure.

The Path Forward: Transparency, Reform, and Sovereign Integrity

Who controls The Bahamas extends beyond legal titles—it reflects societal trust, economic fairness, and democratic health.

The interplay between elected leaders, entrenched elite networks, offshore financiers, and foreign investors shapes policies affecting land use, tax policy, and social equity. While the Bahamian government has initiated incremental reforms, sustained progress demands a bold commitment to transparency. Real economic sovereignty requires public access to ownership data, enhanced regulatory rigor, and international collaboration to curb illicit flows.

For residents and stakeholders alike, unveiling the truth behind ownership is not merely an academic exercise—it is vital to ensuring that the nation’s wealth benefits all Bahamians, not just a select few. Only through clarity, accountability, and inclusive governance can The Bahamas realize its full potential as a nation built on shared prosperity, not hidden corridors of power.