A pointed question is circulating in Nassau about Trans-Island Air: does Paul Aranha actually hold a valid operating certificate for the airline? The pilot is remembered locally for ferrying FNM candidates around the islands during the general elections, which keeps him in political conversations. According to the report, he is now working closely with Dioniso D'Aguilar and is trying, in another role, to get something off the ground with businessman Bob Coughlin. Coughlin's own record clouds the venture for critics, having accumulated 124 acres of crown land in deals that the outlet Bahamas Press later exposed. The pairing has prompted observers to ask what vetting, if any, has gone into the new arrangement. The certificate question is the sharpest part, since an airline without current paperwork cannot legally fly fare paying passengers. The report offers no confirmation either way, leaving the regulator's response as the next thing to watch.