NASSAU, The Bahamas – During his Official Remarks at the Swearing-In Ceremony of Senior Cabinet Ministers, on May 15, 2026, Prime Minister Philip Davis said that that was a day of gratitude to the Bahamian people, for the opportunity to continue the work his government started with them, and for “the faith shown in this team of men and women who have accepted the call to serve”.
“The Bahamian people have spoken,” Prime Minister Davis said at the ceremony held at Government House. “They have asked us to continue moving this country forward.”
He added: “They have asked us to continue building on the progress we have made over the past near five years. They have asked us to stay focused on the issues that matter to ordinary families across our islands. And so today, as these ministers take their oath, we do so with humility and with a full understanding of the responsibility placed upon all of our shoulders.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that public service was about sacrifice.
He said: “It is about waking up every day, understanding that the decisions we make affect real people: the mother trying to provide for her children; the young man searching for opportunity; the small business owner trying to keep their doors open; the senior citizen worried about the cost of living; the Family Island resident who simply wants the same opportunities as someone else living in New Providence.
“That is who we serve,” Prime Minister Davis added.
He stated that he was proud to stand alongside “this team today because I know the character of the people who have accepted this responsibility”.
“I know their work ethic,” Prime Minister Davis said. “I know their commitment to country. I know their love for the Bahamian people.”
He added: “To Chester Cooper, who will continue serving as Deputy Prime Minister while taking on responsibility for Education, I want to thank you for your steady leadership and your willingness to continue carrying heavy responsibilities for the country. To Senator Wayne Munroe, Michael Halkitis, and Fred Mitchell, I want to thank them also for your continued service and counsel during some of the most difficult moments our country has faced.”
“And to the ministers taking their oath this afternoon, thank you for accepting this responsibility with seriousness and humility,” Prime Minister Davis continued. “Michael Darville, Glenys Hanna Martin, Keith Bell, JoBeth Coleby-Davis, Jomo Campbell, Pia Glover-Rolle, Clay Sweeting, Mario Bowleg, Zane Lightbourne — each of you brings experience, perspective, and commitment to our assignments. Each of you understands that the Bahamian people expect results.
“And each of you understands that leadership requires hard decisions, discipline, and constant engagement with the people we represent.”
He pointed out that, over the past near-five years, his Government had made “meaningful progress as a country”.
“We stabilized an economy that was under pressure,” Prime Minister Davis said. “We restored confidence internationally.”
“We expanded opportunities for Bahamians,” he added. “We invested in schools, hospitals, airports, roads, and Family Island communities. We strengthened social support for those who needed help the most.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out, however, that the Bahamian people did not send them back to Government “so that we could celebrate ourselves”.
“They sent us back to finish the work,” he said. “There is still more to do.”
Prime Minister Davis added: “Families are still feeling pressure from the global cost of living. Young people still want greater opportunities. Communities still want safer streets. Businesses still want government services to move faster and more efficiently. Islands still need infrastructure upgrades and economic activity.”
He noted that his government’s task from that point forward was to move with urgency and purpose.
“This new Cabinet must remain grounded in the realities facing ordinary Bahamians every single day,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He added: “We cannot become distant from the people. We cannot become comfortable. We must make the most of the honour of serving the Bahamian people. We must never take this privilege for granted. Every office we hold, every title we carry, every responsibility placed in our hands belongs first to the people.
“They have trusted us again, and that trust must be earned every day through our work, our conduct, and our results.”
Prime Minister Davis noted that public service required humility, and for his Government “to remember that we are here for the people who sent us here”.
“This is their government,” he said. “These are their hopes. This is their future.”
“And our duty is to serve them well,” Prime Minister Davis added.
He stated that he had always believed that leadership began with listening.
“The people of this country do not expect perfection; but they expect honesty,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He added: “They expect effort. They expect compassion. They expect accountability. And they expect leaders who remain connected to the struggles they face every day.
“That must continue to define this administration.”
He said that, as Prime Minister, he gives the Bahamian people “my commitment that this government will continue to work every single day to justify the trust they have placed in us”.
“We will continue building an economy that creates opportunities for Bahamians,” Prime Minister Davis said. We will continue strengthening education and healthcare.”
“We will continue modernizing infrastructure throughout our family of islands,” he added. “We will continue pushing for safer communities. And we will continue governing with fairness, humility, and a sense of duty to country.”
Prime Minister Davis said to the Ministers being sworn in that day, that he asked them to “always remember why you entered public life in the first place”.
“Remember the people who believed in you before the titles,” he said. “Remember the communities that sent you here.
“Remember the young people watching your example,” Prime Minister Davis added. “And remember that history will judge us by whether we improved the lives of the Bahamian people.”
He pointed out that that day was not the end of a campaign.
“Today is the beginning of renewed responsibility,” Prime Minister Davis said. “The Bahamian people have given us a mandate to continue moving the country forward.
“Now we must deliver.”
