BAHAMAS-Prime Minister Davis urges Bahamians to build a gate-opening culture.

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Prime Minister Philip Davis, describing himself as a “gate opener,” has appealed to Bahamians to build a gate-opening culture in the country, saying too many older Bahamians have held back younger ones “because of their own fear, their own insecurity, and their own discomfort with seeing a new generation rise”.

Addressing the 242 Influencers and Creative Conference here, Prime Minister Davis said that his own experience showed that had the door remained shut in his face, he would not have been the head of government in the country.

“If someone had told me, as a barefoot boy from Cat Island, that one day I would serve as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, I would have struggled to believe it.

“If someone had told me that a young man who never went away to university, who learned the law through apprenticeship and articling, would one day carry this responsibility, I would have said, ‘That sounds almost impossible.’ Yet here I am”.

He said that The Bahamas has lived too long with a gatekeeping culture and that “too many people have treated access like private property.

“Too many gates stayed closed unless you knew the right people. Too many talented Bahamians were left waiting outside rooms they had already earned the right to enter. We have to break that culture. We have to build a gate-opening culture in The Bahamas.”

He said too many have mistaken mentorship for control, mistaken experience for ownership, and “many have acted as though if a young Bahamian comes forward, somebody older must lose something.

“That must stop. A country cannot grow that way. A people cannot move forward that way. Age should bring wisdom, guidance, and a sense of making room. Age should bring a hand on your shoulder, a word of advice, an introduction, a recommendation, a gate opened. It must never become a wall in the path of the next generation.”

Prime Minister Davis said that “gate openers” are needed in several areas of Bahamian life, including politics, business, media, church, law, education, and the civil service.

“A country moves forward when gates open. People rise when opportunity extends beyond a small circle. And a young person begins to dream bigger when they can finally see a gate opening in front of them.”

He said the conference provides an opportunity to change the culture, adding, “I am prepared to meet you in the middle.

“This government is prepared to create the domestic environment and give you the tools you need to succeed. We are prepared to do our part. All I ask is that you do yours. Meet me in the middle.

“Bring your discipline. Bring your talent. Bring your work ethic. Bring your ideas. Bring your hunger,” said Prime Minister Davis, adding that the government has invested in “Upskill Bahamas because we believe Bahamians deserve access to training that fits this era”.

Davis, who is expected to announce a date for the general elections here soon, said the government is paying for Bahamians to build new skills and helping people prepare for a changing economy.

“More than 12,000 Bahamians have already signed up for these free courses, fully paid for by the government. That is what meeting you in the middle looks like. We invest.

We open the gate. We give you the tools. Then we ask you to step through and make the most of the chance before you.”

Prime Minister Davis said he is also encouraged by graduates of the “Upskill Bahamas” programme who are now looking to establish their own businesses, saying, “It tells me that once Bahamians get access to the tools, they move. They build. They imagine more for themselves.

“That is why I believe so deeply in opening gates…and I am here to tell you that what was missing was never ability. What was missing was access. What was missing was connection.

What was missing was a government prepared to knock on your door. That is what we are doing now,” he said, adding, “we are going to put you in the room and at the table”.

Prime Minister Davis said the conference is also intended to bring together global technology platforms, creative industry voices, and Bahamian creators for direct discussion of eligibility requirements and future opportunities for Caribbean creators.

“We are reaching out to companies such as OpenAI, Meta, TikTok, X, and others because we are making the case that talent and capability exist right here in The Bahamas,” he said, adding, “we are not going to tell Bahamian creators about some local barrier or some talk about Central Bank restrictions keeping them out of the room”.

He said that before asking the global marketplace to monetise Bahamians or asking international brands to invest in Bahamian creators, local brands must lead as well.

“I will direct government agencies and ministers to identify Bahamian influencers and creators who can help carry public information and public education messages, and to allocate intentional budgets for that purpose.

“When the government wants to reach people, the government should use Bahamian talent. When agencies want to speak to young people, families, communities, and consumers, they should look right here at home. Because this is an era of Bahamian possibility.”