NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Bahamas government says it will focus on education, growing the economy, and tackling the scourge of violent crime during the next 12 months.
“We will continue to pursue growth in GDP (growth domestic product) and revenue, maximize the amount of investment in the country, and maintain efforts to reduce our debt,” Prime Minister Phillip Davis said as he addressed the 32nd annual Bahamas Business Outlook.
“That said, we will focus on reducing the cost of living and making efforts to lift people out of poverty. Even though the inflationary pressures are largely the result of global events and foreign economies, we will do whatever we can to ease the burden on Bahamian consumers.”
Phillip told the conference that when his administration assumed office in 2021, it inherited an economy in a severe recession, a government deeply in debt, and schools in disrepair. But he said that even though these challenges remain formidable, the government is finally moving in the right direction.
Phillip said last October, the government was pleased to have its efforts recognized by one of the international rating agencies that acknowledged that in the previous year, “our country has made substantial progress in our economic recovery and fiscal performance.”
Regarding the issue of crime, where the country recorded a 7.6 percent increase in murders in 2022 compared to 2021, Prime Minister Davis said his recent discussions with US Vice President Kamala Harris on a wide range of issues, including gun trafficking, and illegal maritime migration, would soon bear fruit.
“We agreed to broaden and strengthen the already strong partnership between our two countries in fighting these scourges, which do so much to threaten and undermine our society. If we can make our borders more secure and reduce the flow of guns into our country, we will take big steps forward in national security,” he said, acknowledging that “too many of our young men are in a crisis.”
Regarding education, Prime Minister Davis said there is a need to address the learning loss caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“As extensive as the infrastructure repairs were, it is far more difficult to repair the damage done by years of interrupted schooling. And so, our Learning Recovery Task Force is taking a multi-layered approach to make up for a lost time.”
“Our teachers and administrators are working hard, despite facing severe challenges. But now, more than 100 teachers have been recruited, and for the first time in years, teachers see an increase in salaries and benefits, along with a retention bonus.
“We conducted more than 200 repair projects at our schools to make them ready for reopening. But as extensive as the infrastructure repairs were, it is far more difficult to repair the damage done by years of interrupted schooling,” he added.
Prime Minister Davis urged the business community to partner with the government, “especially around the priorities I have set out.
“There are entrepreneurial opportunities in economic development, education, and criminal justice. For example, could you create a new business offering literacy, numeracy, and finance education? What enterprise might you make to support the rehabilitation of former prisoners? What business can you operate that helps to uplift the poor and provide opportunity?
“This 50th anniversary of independence also presents an opportunity for you to consider or reconsider how you would like to do business in the next 50 years,” Davis added.
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