NASSAU, The Bahamas – During his remarks at the Opportunity Hub: Upskill visit to the Edmund Moxey Centre, on December 12, 2025, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis pointed out to those who had enrolled in and started the free programme that the first hurdle was rarely the course content.
“The first hurdle is time,” Prime Minister Davis said. “It is fatigue. It is doubt. It is that voice in your head that says, ‘I busy. I too old. I too far behind’.
“Yet you still started,” he added. “And I came here today to tell you: that decision matters. A programme can be launched; a website can go live; a banner can be hung. None of that changes a life until a person decides, ‘I ready’.”
Prime Minister pointed out that that was what he saw when he walked through the stations there that day.
“Laptops, phones, tablets, the computer room — different devices, same purpose: Bahamians choosing growth,” he said.
Prime Minister Davis added: “This is exactly why we created the Opportunity Hub. The Opportunity Hub is a national initiative built to help Bahamians learn about government opportunities, sign up online, share feedback directly, and see real stories of progress.”
He pointed out that it also operated through “a simple tool everybody can access: opphub.gov.bs”.
Prime Minister Davis noted that his government called it the “Opportunity Hub” because “opportunity should feel close”.
“It should feel reachable,” he stated. “It should feel like something made for you, where you live, and where you are right now.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that Upskill was launched on November 14, 2025, and the first grouping of courses began on December 1. Since then, the response has been strong: over 8,000 Bahamians registered, 27 courses started, and over 2,000 applications came from the Family Islands, he added.
“Those numbers tell a story,” Prime Minister Davis said. “They tell the story of a people who are hungry for forward movement. They tell the story of families trying to stretch a paycheck and still find time to build new skills.”
“They tell the story of young people trying to step into the workforce with confidence,” he added. “They tell the story of adults who have carried responsibility for years and still decided to invest in themselves.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that he wanted to be clear about what should happen next.
“Signing up is a strong start,” he said. “Starting the course is even stronger. Completion is where the doors really open.”
“That is the core message of today’s event: course completion and sustained engagement after enrollment,” Prime Minister Davis added. He then asked every participant there to make themselves a promise.
Prime Minister Davis said: “Finish what you started. Set a schedule you can live with, even if it is 30 minutes at night when the house quiets down. Reach out when you get stuck. Use the support around you. Share your progress with your family, your friends, your co-workers. Let them keep you accountable. And when you complete, wear that certificate with pride. Put it on your resume. Take it to a job interview. Use it to apply for the next opportunity.”
He pointed out that Upskill was “built for real life”.
“It is built for the single mother who wants a better job,” Prime Minister Davis stated. “It is built for the father who wants to move from day-to-day work into a steadier career.”
He added: “It is built for the young man who wants a skill he can build a future on. It is built for the young woman who wants her own income, her own independence, her own options. And it is built for Family Island residents who deserve access, even when geography has made access harder for too long.”
Prime Minister Davis said that that was also why they kept doing the Opportunity Tours.
“We come to you. We listen. We watch what works. We hear what needs fixing. We collect feedback, and then we adjust,” he said.
“That is the whole point of this Hub model: information, access, enrollment, stories, feedback, repeated in communities across the country,” Prime Minister Davis added.
He then spoke directly to people who might not be present, but kept saying, in the vernacular, ‘I gon’ do it next week’.
Prime Minister Davis said: “If you have been putting it off, use today as your sign. Go to opphub.gov.bs. Look at what is available. Pick one course that fits your life. Start; because the hardest part is deciding that you matter enough to invest in.”
He added: “That is the deeper work of opportunity. It is dignity. It is confidence. It is a country saying to its people: we believe in you, and we are going to back your effort with tools that meet you where you are.”
Prime Minister Davis said to the participants there that day, that he also wanted them to “understand something else”.
“When you push through and complete, you become somebody else’s proof,” he said. “Somebody is watching you: a child, a cousin, a friend, a co-worker – maybe a brother or sister.”
Prime Minister Davis added: Your consistency gives them courage; so, as you move through your modules, do it for yourself. Do it for your household. Do it for the person who needs to see that it can be done.”
He stated that every day, he has an opportunity to help someone get ahead.
“Today, I chose to spend it with Bahamians who already started, who already took the first step,” Prime Minister Davis said. “My commitment is simple: we will keep widening the doors of opportunity, keep improving access, keep supporting skills development, and keep expanding this work.”
He added: “Your commitment is simple too: keep going. Finish strong.
“Thank you, and I am looking forward to hearing your stories, and celebrating your completions.”
