Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
Just eight days ago, the Bahamian people chose Progress.
They did so in a manner not seen in a generation.
In an historic vote, for the first time since 1997, the Bahamian people returned an administration to office for a consecutive term.
This outcome carries a greater significance beyond the political achievement.
It reflects public support that the country should continue in thedirection started
It reflects public desire to continue to bring about profound changes in our country.
And most of all, it reflects the considered judgment of a people who, after weighing the challenges before the nation, and recognising the progress achieved over the past term, chose continuity, stability, and steady leadership for the future of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
My Government accepts this renewed mandate with humility, gratitude, and a profound sense of responsibility to the Bahamian people.
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
The Bahamas enters this new Parliamentary term during a period of considerable global uncertainty.
As is true with other Small Island Developing States, we face numerous challenges: climate threats, inflationary pressures, and changing geopolitical realities.
We also face pressures from irregular migration, technological disruption, and rising competition for investment and opportunity.
We will continue to engage closely with our neighbours, and our regional and international partners, to promote our national interest and secure the best possible outcomes for the Bahamian people
Armed with our unshakeable confidence in the strength, resilience, and potential of the Bahamian people My Government is resolved to meet these challenges head on.
My Government believes deeply that The Bahamas is a sacred inheritance.
It is a nation built on the sacrifice of generations who believed that ordinary Bahamians deserved a fair chance to work, to build, to own, and to rise.
It is a democracy shaped by faith, constitutional order, majority rule, and the enduring belief that progress must reach every island, every settlement, and every Bahamian family.
Our guiding mission is simple: to build a Bahamas for Bahamians.
Building on Economic Progress
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
My Government recognises that the first responsibility of any administration is to secure economic stability and create the conditions for national growth.
When My Government first assumed office in 2021, it inherited an economy under extraordinary strain.
Over the past term, stability has been restored, confidence has returned, unemployment has declined, major investments have resumed, and the country’s fiscal position has strengthened.
The international community has taken note of our success, which was described by the International Monetary Fund as “remarkable”.
Also, in an unprecedented move, in this fiscal year, two of the major international credit ratings agencies upgraded the outlook for The Bahamas.
But my Government recognises that economic statistics alone do not define the daily realities facing Bahamian families.
Too many Bahamians still feel pressure from the high cost of living.
Too many young people are still searching for opportunity.
Too many small businesses still face barriers to growth.
Accordingly, my Government enters this new term focused on building a stronger, more modern, more resilient Bahamian economy.
My Government believes economic growth must create opportunities for all.
My Government intends to introduce modern competition legislation to protect consumers from price fixing, abuse of market dominance, and unfair pricing practices while supporting greater transparency in the marketplace.
My Government will also advance a consolidated investment incentives framework bringing together the country’s investment legislation into a unified system .
My Government intends to establish a National Investment Policy with clear national priorities and transparent investor obligations to ensure that economic growth delivers measurable benefits to the Bahamian people.
My Government will continue implementing the Land Adjudication Act and Registered Land Act, to create a central searchable land registry, modernise records, and reduce delays in property transactions.
My Government also intends to establish a Foreign Direct Investment Compliance Unit to ensure investors honour the commitments they make to the Bahamian people.
My Government will review the Real Property Tax regime to provide meaningful relief for Bahamian property owners.
My Government intends to introduce mandatory decision-making timelines for development approvals to create greater certainty, transparency, and efficiency within the process.
My Government will also require state-owned enterprises to submit binding business plans, with clear performance milestones aimed at reducing long-term dependence on government subsidies.
Grand Bahama and The Family Islands
My Government will continue to promote fundamental transformation in Grand Bahama through enhanced investments and economic development, reorganisation of arrangements with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and strengthening of opportunities with key stakeholders.
Grand Bahama will become the gateway to the Caribbean for trade, tourism, and investment with the development of the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace and Logistics Centre, MSC Cruise Port, Xanadu Beach Project and other major developments.
After consultation with Family Island communities, My Government intends to devise individual Family Island Development Plans.
These will be the basis upon which we will implement a range of measures to pursue a more structured, strategic approach to family island development.
Ongoing programmes such as the Family Island Airport Renaissance and Infrastructure Clinics will continue.
The critical needs of Family Islands will be addressed through the Family Island Development Act.
Rights For Workers
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
My Government believes the dignity of work must remain central to national policy.
Accordingly, my Government intends to introduce the Employment Bill 2026, representing the most significant modernisation of labour protections in a generation.
The legislation will strengthen workplace standards, expand maternity protections, provide leave for mental health and wellness, and establish new safeguards for working parents.
My Government also intends to reform and modernise the National Insurance system through stronger anti-fraud measures, improved digital systems, enhanced oversight, and expanded inclusion of informal workers.
My Government will establish a Public Sector Pension Plan creating the framework for contributory pension coverage for public servants.
My Government also intends to establish a National Productivity Council with clear public benchmarks, to improve public sector performance and national efficiency.
Food Security
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
Food security remains an issue of national importance.
My Government believes a stronger Bahamas must produce more of what it consumes.
Accordingly, my Government intends to establish a National Import Substitution framework with clear national production targets for key agricultural products and stronger sourcing requirements for government food programmes.
My Government will also introduce tourism agriculture incentives, to encourage hotels and tourism operators to increase local sourcing from Bahamian farmers and producers.
Energy
Reliable and affordable energy remains central to economic competitiveness and the quality of life enjoyed by Bahamian families.
My Government intends to introduce an Electricity Consumer Protection Code empowering URCA to enforce service standards, billing transparency, and consumer safeguards.
My Government will also introduce Energy Equity legislation to ensure that Family Island residents are not penalised by higher electricity costs simply because of geography.
My Government intends to embed mandatory local-content and training obligations into major energy contracts, to ensure Bahamians benefit from the national energy transition.
My Government will also reduce or eliminate import duties on energy-efficient appliances and renewable energy systems.
Housing
My Government believes every Bahamian deserves access to safe and dignified housing.
Accordingly, my Government intends to establish a National Rental Property Registration System with enforceable living standards and stronger protections for tenants.
Expanding our existing Affordable Homes and Rent-to-Own initiatives, My Government will also establish a Residential Tenancy Authority with powers to inspect, investigate, and enforce rental standards across the Commonwealth.
Education
Education remains among the highest priorities of my Government.
Every Bahamian child deserves access to modern, high-quality education regardless of geography or circumstance.
My Government will continue to implement the Education Act, the most significant legislative reform in Bahamian education in a generation, anchoring curriculum reform, accountability, teacher standards, and school governance in law.
My Government also intends to make pre-primary education universal and compulsory from age four.
My Government will continue our commitment to lifelong learning through Upskill Bahamas, and other programmes.
Healthcare
My Government believes access to quality healthcare must be strengthened across the Commonwealth.
My Government will continue to implement the Dental Professions Bill while modernising dental regulation within The Bahamas.
My Government also intends to strengthen legal protections and support systems for elderly Bahamians through a new elder abandonment framework empowering social services to intervene and assist families before situations reach crisis point.
My Government will further extend contributory health insurance coverage to public servants, including contract workers.
My Government will continue to advance the infrastructural development programme already underway, including the Health Campus in Freeport, the new hospital in New Providence, and other clinics throughout the islands.
Safety and Security
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
The safety and security of the Bahamian people remain among the highest obligations of the State.
My Government will continue to fully implement the Protection Against Violence Act and expanding domestic violence support services throughout the country.
My Government intends to strengthen gun laws and expand specialist firearm courts to support a zero-tolerance approach toward illegal firearms.
In collaboration with Court Services, My Government will support the establishment of a Backlog Reduction Court and a dedicated Sexual Offences Court to improve the administration of justice and reduce delays.
My Government will also ensure the Independent Commission of Investigations is fully functioning and properly resourced.
My Government will continue to build on the success of its ‘Five Pillar Crime Strategy’ to improve Prevention, strengthen Policing, improve Prosecution and Punishment, and expand Rehabilitation Programmes.
The successful ‘Clear Hold and Build’ approach will also remain.
Immigration
My Government believes strong borders and lawful immigration systems are essential to national stability and sovereignty.
Accordingly, my Government intends to introduce the Employer Immigration Compliance Act imposing stronger penalties for abuse of the work permit system and other unlawful employment practices.
My Government will establish a Bahamian E-Verify Portal to confirm work eligibility before employment.
My Government also intends to introduce daily overstay fines for unlawful overstay, and strengthen re-entry ban enforcement.
My Government will establish a National Biometric Immigration System with overstay alerts, biometric e-gates, and enhanced fraud detection capabilities.
My Government will also establish an Immigration Fraud Intelligence Unit dedicated to investigating and prosecuting immigration fraud.
My Government intends to introduce mandatory sentencing provisions for public officers found facilitating immigration or passport fraud.
Digital Security
My Government recognises that national security now includes digital security.
Accordingly, my Government intends to introduce comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, establishing a National Cybersecurity Authority. This will strengthen digital forensics capacity, and improving online child protection measures.
Technology and Transformation
Technology and digital transformation will remain central to the work of my Government.
My Government intends to introduce the eGovernment Act requiring all government agencies to transition onto MyGatewaywithin three years, while implementing the principle that Bahamians should not have to repeatedly provide the same information to government.
My Government also intends to establish a National Digital ID system to underpin future digital public services.
My Government will introduce an Artificial IntelligenceGovernance Act. This will provide for the establishment of a National AI Commission, and set out clear ethical safeguards governing artificial intelligence.
My Government will continue strengthening enforcement under the Data Protection Act, including mandatory breach notification requirements.
National Development
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
My Government believes good governance requires robust long-term planning, public participation, and accountability.
Accordingly, my Government intends to continue work already begun on The National Development Plan setting out a long-term vision for economic growth, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, institutional reform, and human development.
My Government will introduce legislation to establish a National Development Framework, to provide for coordinatedplanning across ministries, agencies, and islands.
My Government intends to advance a National Master Physical Development Plan, establishing an infrastructural blueprint for development throughout the archipelago.
My Government will continue expanding and fully implementing the Freedom of Information Act, and ensure that public bodies maintain trained FOIA officers and disclosure systems.
My Government intends to continue efforts to modernise the electoral system through the full introduction biometric voter cards and electronic poll books.
Creative Economy
My Government firmly believes that Bahamian creativity and culture represent national assets of enormous potential, which can develop into a thriving new economic sector for the creative industries.
The newly-created Creative and Performing Arts School of The Bahamas CAPAS, will serve as a training hub.
My Government will also establish an Online Rights Registry and small-claims mechanism to protect Bahamian digital creators and intellectual property.
My Government also intends to introduce legislation to incentivize film production in The Bahamas, and supporting greater local and international production activity within The Bahamas.
Climate Resilience and Environmental Protection
Climate resilience and environmental protection remain matters of national survival.
My Government intends to complete and enforce an updated Bahamas Building Code as part of wider national resilience and disaster preparedness efforts.
My Government intends to establish a Bahamas Environmental Tribunal to strengthen environmental enforcement and adjudication.
My Government will also introduce comprehensive waste management and marine pollution legislation providing for stronger penalties and enforcement mechanisms.
My Government further intends to establish a Blue Carbon Governance Framework ensuring transparency, accountability, and national benefit-sharing from blue carbon initiatives.
My Government will introduce legislation to formally establish the National Youth Guard as a disaster preparedness and national service force, supporting national resilience and youth development.
Conclusion
Madame President and Honourable Senators,
Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:
The Bahamian people have entrusted my Government with a serious responsibility.
The work ahead will require focus, national unity, and continued discipline in governance.
My Government accepts that responsibility fully.
My Government believes this country possesses every ingredient required to succeed in the modern world.
The talent.
The creativity.
The resilience.
The democratic stability.
And above all, the people.
The work of this Parliament therefore begins with confidence in the future of this Commonwealth and confidence in the capacity of the Bahamian people to continue moving this nation forward.
May God bless this Honourable Parliament.
May God continue to bless the Bahamian people.
And may God bless our Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
END
