NASSAU, Bahamas -Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis has welcomed two people into his administration reiterating that his administration is fully engaged in the work of restoration and recovery after “historically difficult times.
Leon Lundy and Kingsley Smith“We have turned the situation around by driving unemployment down to its lowest levels in over 15 years, bringing in record levels of tourist arrivals, and surpassing even the international experts’ projections for economic growth.
“Even in the midst of talk of economic recessions and job market stagnancy among the wealthy nations of the developed world, we continue to stand strong,” Davis said, as Leon Lundy and Kingsley Smith Jr, were sworn in as Minister of State and as Parliamentary Secretary respectively.
Phillips, who led the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to a landslide victory in the general elections in September 2021 general election, said that while these achievements count as recovery in one sense, “I believe that there is a deeper recovery that we are striving for.
“For as much progress as we have made, we know that it is not enough. Not when violent crime levels are still far too high. Not when our educational system still needs major reforms. “And not when inequality still creates an economic divide that prevents many of our people from feeling truly empowered by the land of their birth.
“What we are working to recover is the Bahamian dream. The progress we have made has been necessary as we lay a foundation for real change and real movement toward the empowerment of Bahamians to live their best lives in The Bahamas.”
Phillips said that he still maintains that his administration is “not here to make small, incremental changes.
“We must bring about a real transformation if we are to achieve our goals of creating a fairer and more prosperous Bahamas for everyone. Of course, this is a complex undertaking. It requires time. It requires an abundance of resources. And it requires all hands on deck.”
Phillips said that as the country confronts major national challenges it has to do so with a sense of urgency.
”Our people deserve a country that fully empowers them and protects them. And while we have achieved many important milestones in our 50 years as an Independent nation, we know that there is still so much more that we can do, and so much more that we can be.
“We see how visitors and investors are coming to our shores to enjoy the splendor of our nation. And we believe that every Bahamian should have a right to prosper and enjoy this nation just as much as anyone else. It is our birthright.”
Phillips said as his administration lays a foundation and build on the progress that “will take us from where we are to where we intend to be, one of the fundamental components of progress will be the quality of leaders who are driving our national development”.
