NASSAU, The Bahamas – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis announced at the Office of the Prime Minister, on March 27, 2026, that, earlier that week, he met with Governor-General Her Excellency the Most Hon. Dame Cynthia Pratt, and advised that, in accordance with Article 66(1) of The Bahamas’ Constitution, Parliament be prorogued as of the day of his announcement.
“That Proclamation has now been issued and should now be in the possession of the Commissioner of Police,” Prime Minister Davis stated.
He pointed out that proroguing Parliament means the legislative session had come to an end.
“Proroguing is a routine step in our constitutional system; but it is not the same as dissolving Parliament” Prime Minister Davis noted. “When Parliament is dissolved, the law requires that registration of voters ends, and we move to a general election.”
He added: “I haven’t advised the dissolution of Parliament yet – but I am very close to ringing that bell. I want every Bahamian to know – by the time you hear that bell ring, if you are not registered, you will not be eligible to vote.
“Do not wait for the bell. Go now, to your nearest Parliamentary Registration location, and get registered.”
Prime Minister Davis said that, to those who had moved since the last election and had not yet transferred, he encouraged them to “go now and do so”.
“To our youngest voters, those who have turned 18 since the last election and have not yet registered: this is your democracy,” he said. “This is your country. Claim your place in it. Go and register.”
He added. “I don’t want any of you to sit on the sidelines. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Your role in shaping the country’s future matters.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that “we are all Bahamians”.
“We all want this country to be safe,” he stated. “We all want it to be fair.”
Prime Minister Davis added: “We all want our country to give our children a real chance. We all want our nation to stand strong in a difficult world. Let that shared love of country guide us now.”
He urged them to exercise their “precious right, one guaranteed under our Constitution”.
“Democracy thrives, and we all get better representation, when each of us makes our voice heard,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He pointed out that, over the next several weeks, he will make his case to the Bahamian people about “the kind of country we can continue to build together”.
“I say ‘together’ because, amidst the noise and tussle of ‘Election Season’, we must not forget that, no matter where we fall politically, we all love this country,” Prime Minister Davis said.
“We may belong to different parties,” he added. “We may hold different views. We may argue with heated passion.”
He noted that that was the nature of democracy.
“But beneath those petty divisions lies something deeper than party, something older than politics,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He added: “When I look at our country, I see a people with strength. I see a people with dignity.
“I see a people who have endured hardship, held firm, and kept faith.
“Above all, I see a country with real promise.”
Prime Minister Davis noted that if all citizens moved through the moment with faith and love of country, he believed that, with all his heart, “our best days still lie ahead of us”.
“God has blessed us with a beautiful country, a strong people, and a democracy worth protecting,” he said. “May God bless each and every one of you.
“And may God continue to bless our Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
