Bahamas News
PM Davis Highlights Accomplishments of and Opportunities for Bahamians in Canada
By ERIC ROSE
Bahamas Information Services
#TORONTO, Canada, April 23, 2023 – After welcoming attendees to an event for the Bahamian Diaspora, in Toronto, Canada, on April 15, 2023, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis said that had the honour of meeting two “outstanding” business owners, that day: Kaylandra Edgecombe and Zhorrah Grant.
“Their success stories are truly inspiring, and I am incredibly proud of each of them,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He noted that Ms. Edgecombe was the owner of the Old Nassau Bahamian Restaurant. Ms. Grant was the owner of Hair Granted Beauty Supply, Canada’s largest Black-owned beauty supply retailer, and it also sells Bahamian-made brands.
“I also had the pleasure of meeting Jamsin Dorsett, who is the President of the Association of Bahamians in Canada,” he added. “They are all shining examples of the Bahamian spirit, lifting up not just themselves, but all Bahamians.”
Among those present for the event were Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service the Hon. Fred Mitchell; Parliamentary Secretary of Tourism, Investments and Aviation (MOTIA) John Pinder; Director General of Tourism Latia Duncombe; Bahamas High Commissioner to Canada (Ottawa) His Excellency V. Alfred Gray; Consul General Al Dillette; Bahamas non-resident Ambassador to Brazil His Excellency Dexter Johnson; and other government officials and stakeholders.
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that his Government remained focused on tackling cost of living in The Bahamas, education, crime, and national development.
“We are also committed to exploring remote work opportunities for Bahamians abroad and living in Canada, allowing them to work on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas,” he said. “We do not frown upon those who
leave the Bahamas to live in Canada; instead, we see them as ambassadors of our great nation.”
“I am delighted to announce the opening of a new Consulate General Office in Toronto, further strengthening the relationship between our two countries and providing a valuable resource for Bahamians living here in Canada,” Prime Minister Davis said. “This is a testament to our commitment to support our Bahamian community abroad and to foster stronger ties with our Canadian friends.”
He stated that, in addition, he was eager to hear the stories of those in attendance that night about living in Canada and their ideas on how they can build a better country.
“Your experiences and perspectives are invaluable, as they offer a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by Bahamians living abroad,” Prime Minister Davis said. “By sharing your thoughts and insights, we can work together to develop innovative solutions and strengthen the bonds that unite us as a nation.”
“And, as we approach the monumental milestone of 50 years of Independence, we invite you to join us in the festivities that will take place across our beautiful archipelago,” he added. “We encourage you to celebrate our rich history, vibrant culture, and unwavering spirit, whether you are here in Canada or back home in The Bahamas.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that his Government recognised the tremendous contributions of Bahamians living and working abroad. He said that his Government was “immensely proud” of their achievements and the positive representation of The Bahamas that they provided.
“I would like to extend a special invitation to all to return to The Bahamas and get involved in our nation-building efforts,” he said. “Your skills, knowledge, and experiences are invaluable assets that can help to drive our country’s progress and prosperity.
“The Bahamas is not just defined by its beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters, but also by the resilience and determination of its people.”
Prime Minister Davis said that, as they looked forward to the next 50 years, he encouraged them to work together to create an “even more vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous Bahamas for future generations to inherit”.
“In closing, I would like to express my gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication to our beloved country,” Prime Minister Davis said.
“May the spirit of unity, love, and camaraderie that has brought us together tonight continue to guide us as we move forward, hand in hand, towards a more prosperous and brighter future for The Bahamas.”
PHOTO CAPTION
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis joins Bahamians of the Diaspora in Canada, during an event in the honour, in Toronto, Canada, on April 15, 2023. Among those present for the event were Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service the Hon. Fred Mitchell; Parliamentary Secretary of Tourism, Investments and Aviation (MOTIA) John Pinder; Director General of Tourism Latia Duncombe; Bahamas High Commissioner to Canada (Ottawa) His Excellency V. Alfred Gray; Consul General Al Dillette; Bahamas non-resident Ambassador to Brazil His Excellency Dexter Johnson; and other government officials and stakeholders. (BIS Photos/Eric Rose)
PM: Project delivers on promise and invests in youth, sports and national development
GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — Calling it the fulfillment of a major commitment to the island, Prime Minister Philip Davis led the official groundbreaking for the Grand Bahama Aquatic Centre, a facility the government says will transform sports development and create new opportunities for young athletes.
Speaking at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on February 12, the Prime Minister said the project represents more than bricks and mortar
— it is an investment in people, national pride and long-term economic activity. The planned complex will feature a modern 50-metre competition pool, designed to meet international standards for training and regional and global swim meets. Davis said the facility will give Bahamian swimmers a home capable of producing world-class performance while also providing a space for community recreation, learn-to-swim programmes and water safety training.
He noted that Grand Bahama has long produced outstanding athletes despite limited infrastructure and said the new centre is intended to correct that imbalance, positioning the island as a hub for aquatic sports and sports tourism.
The Prime Minister also linked the development to the broader national recovery and revitalisation of Grand Bahama, describing the project as part of a strategy to expand opportunities for young people, create jobs during construction and stimulate activity for small businesses once operational.
The Aquatic Centre, he said, stands as proof that promises made to Grand Bahama are being delivered.
The project is expected to support athlete development, attract competitions, and provide a safe, modern environment for residents to access swimming and water-based programmes for generations to come.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
The Bahamas, February 15, 2026 – For the better part of three years, Bahamians have been told that major Afreximbank financing would help transform access to capital, rebuild infrastructure and unlock economic growth across the islands. The headline figures are large. The signing ceremonies are high profile. The language is ambitious. What remains far harder to see is the measurable impact in the daily lives of the people those announcements are meant to serve.
The Government’s push to secure up to $100 million from Afreximbank for roughly 200 miles of Family Island roads dates back to 2025. In
its February 11 disclosure, the bank outlined a receivables-discounting facility — a structure that allows a contractor to be paid early once work is completed, certified and invoiced, with the Government settling the bill later. It is not cash placed into the economy upfront. It does not, by itself, build a single mile of road. Every dollar depends on work first being delivered and approved.
The wider framework has been described as support for “climate-resilient and trade-enhancing infrastructure,” a phrase that, in practical terms, should mean projects that lower the cost of doing business, move people and goods faster, and keep the economy functioning. But for communities, that promise becomes real only when the projects are named, the standards are defined and a clear timeline is given for when work will begin — and when it will be finished.
Bahamians have seen this moment before.
In 2023, a $30 million Afreximbank facility for the Bahamas Development Bank was hailed as a breakthrough that would expand access to financing for local enterprise. It worked in one immediate and measurable way: it encouraged businesses to apply. Established, revenue-generating Bahamian companies responded to the call, prepared plans, and entered a process they believed had been capitalised to support growth. The unanswered question is how much of that capital has reached the private sector in a form that allowed those businesses to expand, hire and generate new economic activity.
Because development is not measured in the size of announcements.
It is measured in loans disbursed, projects completed and businesses expanded.
The pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. In June 2024, when Afreximbank held its inaugural Caribbean Annual Meetings in Nassau,
Grand Bahama was presented as the future home of an Afro-Caribbean marketplace said to carry tens of millions of dollars in investment. What was confirmed at that stage was a $1.86 million project-preparation facility — funding for studies and planning to make the development bankable, not construction financing. The larger build-out remains dependent on additional approvals, land acquisition and further capital.
This distinction — between financing announced and financing that produces visible, measurable outcomes — is now at the centre of the national conversation.
Because while the numbers grow larger on paper, entrepreneurs still describe access to capital as out of reach, and communities across the Family Islands are still waiting to see where the work will start.
And in an economy where stalled growth translates into lost opportunity, rising frustration and real social consequences, the gap between promise and delivery is no longer a communications issue.
It is an inability to convert announcements into outcomes.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
A hardline strategy that reduced murders, gunfire, and collateral deaths
The Bahamas, February 8, 2026 – What happens when police stop routinely granting bail to high-risk suspects and aggressively execute outstanding warrants? In The Bahamas, the answer in 2025 was fewer murders, fewer gunshots, and safer communities.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force arrested 4,337 individuals on outstanding warrants last year, ensuring suspects were brought directly before the courts instead of being released back onto the streets. At the same time, police significantly curtailed the use of police bail for high-risk and repeat offenders, particularly those already entangled in violent disputes.
Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles said the shift was informed by hard lessons from previous years. Intelligence reviews showed that
many homicide victims were not random targets, but men already wanted by law enforcement and — critically — by other criminals. When released on bail, those individuals often became targets themselves, triggering retaliatory shootings that spilled into neighbourhoods, roadways and public spaces.
By keeping high-risk suspects in custody pending court appearances, police say they disrupted that cycle — removing both potential offenders and potential victims from the streets.
The impact was stark. Murders declined by 31 percent in 2025, falling from 120 in 2024 to 83, the largest percentage decrease in homicides since national tracking began in 1963 and the lowest murder count in nearly two decades.
Police leaders say the strategy also reduced the collateral damage that had increasingly alarmed communities. Innocent residents had been caught in “sprays of gunfire” as targeted attacks unfolded in residential areas, at traffic stops, and in public settings.
Gun-violence indicators reflected the change. Gunshot reports fell by 35 percent, while incidents detected by ShotSpotter technology declined by 29 percent, confirming that fewer shots were being fired across the country.
“Gunshots ringing out and cutting through our peaceful paradise were down remarkably,” Commissioner Knowles said, attributing the improvement to decisive enforcement, tighter bail practices, and sustained pressure on offenders.
Police also intensified enforcement against breach of bail conditions, charging and detaining more suspects than in any previous reporting period. Officers say the approach removed the opportunity for repeat offending while matters were before the courts.
Police leadership said the results go beyond statistics. By limiting bail for high-risk suspects and executing warrants at scale, the strategy saved lives, protected bystanders, and restored confidence in public safety.
In 2025, fewer people were hunted, fewer bullets were fired, and fewer families were left grieving — a shift police say was no accident, but the result of deliberate, hardline choices.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
