Who runs local government in Bahamas?

The Bahamas has local government only on its outer 'Family Islands'. New Providence, where the capital Nassau is and about 70% of people live, is run directly by the national government. Under the Local Government Act 1996 there are 32 local government districts with elected councils, but they cannot raise their own revenue and depend entirely on central government grants.

Commonwealth of The Bahamas · Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy · Caribbean

The levels of government below the nation

Level	How it is chosen	What it does
New Providence	No local government; run by central government	National ministries deliver all services.
Second-schedule district councils (13), with town committees (41 town areas)	Town committee members elected every three years; district councils formed from town committee members	Licensing and regulatory boards (road traffic, port, hotel, town planning); clinics, standpipe water, school building upkeep.
Third-schedule district councils (19)	Councillors elected directly every three years; chief councillor chosen by councillors	Combine district and town committee functions in smaller islands.

Three questions about local power in Bahamas

Are local leaders elected?

Family Island councillors and town committee members are elected. Chief councillors are chosen by councillors. There is no elected local body in New Providence.

Which laws set up local government?

Local government rests on the Local Government Act 1996, not the Constitution. Community associations are informal.

Who are local leaders accountable to?

Voters every three years; the Ministry responsible for local government can create new districts and oversees finances through district administrators.

Traditional and customary authority

There is no traditional authority. Churches and settlement elders are influential in small island communities but have no legal role.

Community and neighbourhood power

On small Family Islands, settlement associations, church groups and volunteers organise community life. In New Providence, constituency-based groups and residents' associations are informal and deal directly with members of parliament and ministries.

Points to know

Because most people live in New Providence, most Bahamians have no elected local council at all.
Local government spending was only about 0.9% of total government spending in 2017.
Freeport, on Grand Bahama, also has special arrangements under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, under which a private port authority provides many town services.

Local terms

Family Islands: The Bahamian islands other than New Providence.
Town committee: An elected body for a town area within a larger district.

Sources

The local government system in The Bahamas: country profile 2019, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, checked 14 October 2026
Bahamas's Constitution of 1973, Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026