NASSAU, Bahamas - Prime Minister Phillip Davis has advised young Bahamians not to “die trying to impress people who won’t stand at your graveside,” saying he is fighting for a version of The Bahamas where children walk home without fear, build their lives and where no mother has to hear the words, “your child is gone”.
Prime Minister Phillip DavisSpeaking at a crime forum here, Prime Minister Davis said last week, the country celebrated 52 years of independence ad while it was a proud moment it also made him reflect on the challenges facing the country in dealing with the crime situation.
He said that the government is doing its part, strengthening the police force, investing in the prevention side through youth programs, mentorship, job opportunities, after-school support.
He said the policies are aimed at getting ahead of crime, to disrupt gangs, remove guns, and keep the streets safe as well as ensuring that justice is swift, fair, and competent.
But Prime Minister Davis said that there is a need for all stakeholders to be part of the efforts to deal with the crime situation, noting that “only the community can rebuild what has been broken.
“Only neighbors can restore what silence has allowed to grow. You remember the porch? You remember when folks sat outside and watched the neighborhood? When you could hear, “Tell your Mummy I say hi!” shouted across the fence?
“That wasn’t just about being friendly. That was how we kept each other safe. That was love. That was accountability. Now we’ve traded porches for tall walls and silence. We’ve closed our doors, and in doing so, opened the way for crime to take root.”
Prime Minister Davis said there is need to bring the porch back, telling parents “if you know your child is involved in wrongdoing, don’t protect it, because that protection today might cost them their life tomorrow.
“I have stood with too many grieving families. I’ve seen mothers collapse in the road. I’ve watched fathers break down in silence. And it doesn’t get easier. In fact, it only makes me more determined.”
Addressing the young people of the country, directly, Prime Minister Davis said he is making it his personal mission to give them a fighting chance, “but you have to meet us halfway.
“To those of you already caught up, you are not beyond help. To those who are on the edge, don’t fall. To those who are thinking about picking up a gun, think again. Don’t die trying to impress people who won’t stand at your graveside. Choose life. Choose purpose. ”
He said his appeal is not just about stopping crime, but also about building a version of The Bahamas that is safer, more connected, and full of hope.
“A Bahamas where the porch is back, where the village is alive, where young men aren’t mourned, they are mentored. Now, yes, we are seeing crime numbers trending down this year. But let me be honest with you: one life lost is still too many for me.”
Davis said that while progress is good, “it doesn’t bring back the son, the brother, the friend whose life was cut short”.
He told the forum that “ I am here to listen, because I don’t have all the answers.
“But I do know this: the answers we need, we’ll only find together as one Bahamian family.”.
