A National Agenda for The Bahamas

Deo Adjuvante, Non Timendum

“With God as My Helper, I Have Nothing to Fear”

By Dr. Kevin Turnquest-Alcena

Nassau, The Bahamas

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” — Winston Churchill

The Bahamian drums are beating, the cowbells are ringing into 2026.  The year 2026 represents more than another election cycle; it is a national crossroads.

As Bahamians often say, when “the fat lady sings and gives you the price of the fish,” the debate ends, and reality begins—someone must govern.  The true challenge is not only who wins, but what agenda will guide the nation forward.  While elections bring speeches and promises, words alone do not deliver progress.  The country now requires a people-centered agenda rooted in discipline, accountability, and long-term development.

Reducing the national debt must be a top priority.  High debt limits investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social services.

As Warren Buffett once said, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”  The government must commit to transparent budgeting, responsible borrowing, and improved tax collection.

Auditing government programs, prioritizing high-impact projects, and leveraging public-private partnerships are essential steps toward fiscal sustainability and ensuring every dollar borrowed produces measurable value for the nation.

Crime remains one of the most urgent challenges facing The Bahamas.  It threatens public safety, tourism, investment, and social confidence.

Addressing it requires a comprehensive approach including intelligence-led policing, strengthened border security, judicial reform to reduce court backlogs, community policing, youth intervention programs, and rehabilitation services.  As Marcus Tullius Cicero said, “The safety of the people shall be the highest law.”  Treating crime as both a social and security issue ensures safer communities and stronger national cohesion.

A National Service Programme could further strengthen the nation by promoting discipline, civic responsibility, and workforce readiness among young Bahamians.  Participants could serve in disaster response, healthcare, environmental protection, agriculture, technical trades, and community safety.  Mahatma Gandhi wisely noted, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”  Beyond providing skills, the program would reduce youth unemployment, foster civic pride, and build social unity.

Education reform is central to national development.  Priorities include early childhood education, teacher training, curriculum updates, and accountability measures.  Nelson Mandela emphasized, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  A literate, skilled population drives productivity, innovation, and economic competitiveness, laying the foundation for sustained national growth.

Preparing Bahamians for the digital economy is equally vital.  Integrating coding, robotics, AI, and digital entrepreneurship into schools equips students for modern careers and entrepreneurship.  Bill Gates observed, “The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really even notice it.”  Partnering with tech firms, universities, and online platforms can provide mentorship and access to advanced resources, ensuring long-term competitiveness.

Public health and wellness must also be prioritized.  The Bahamas faces challenges such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Preventive healthcare, nutrition education, community fitness initiatives, and mental health services are critical.  Gandhi reminded us, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”  A healthier population reduces healthcare costs, improves productivity, and enhances quality of life.

Economic empowerment requires land reform and effective land management.  Clear land titles, efficient approvals, and transparent administration encourage investment, reduce disputes, and support sustainable development, particularly in the Family Islands.  Aristotle once said, “Land is the basis of all wealth.”

An efficient and accountable public sector is essential.  Digitization, performance-based management, retraining programs, and rationalizing structures improve service delivery.  As Peter Drucker stated, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”  These reforms ensure taxpayers receive value while government operations remain sustainable.

Raising the minimum wage addresses rising living costs and improves social equity.  Franklin D. Roosevelt’s principle, “A fair wage for a fair day’s work,” reflects the importance of fair pay in improving living standards, stimulating domestic consumption, and reducing inequality.

Supporting Bahamian investors and entrepreneurs strengthens local ownership and economic resilience.  Simplifying investor registration, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, offering tax incentives, and providing mentorship foster innovation and job creation.  As Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  A thriving business sector reduces dependence on foreign investment and drives national prosperity.

Economic diversification is critical to reduce vulnerability.  While tourism remains important, expansion into financial services, captive insurance, renewable energy, agriculture, digital services, and the creative economy is necessary.  Miguel de Cervantes’ wisdom, “Do not put all your eggs in one basket,” highlights the need for multiple growth sectors to ensure stability and opportunity.

Affordable housing and cost-of-living relief remain urgent.  Government-subsidized programs, construction incentives, and policy reforms ensure working families can afford safe homes.  As an unknown author noted, “A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”

Modern infrastructure drives national development.  Roads, bridges, ports, airports, inter-island transportation, and broadband connectivity enhance trade, mobility, and quality of life.  Lily Tomlin’s observation, “The road to success is always under construction,” underscores the ongoing need for investment in infrastructure.

Climate resilience and disaster preparedness are essential.  As a small island nation, The Bahamas is highly vulnerable to climate change.  Coastal protection, flood mitigation, resilient infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and community awareness safeguard lives and property.  The Native American proverb reminds us, “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

Finally, good governance and anti-corruption measures underpin national success.  Transparency, accountability, and strong institutions ensure public trust.  Kofi Annan stated, “Good governance is less about structure and more about behavior.”  Ethical leadership and citizen oversight are critical for maintaining confidence and ensuring fair use of national resources.

Countries such as Singapore demonstrate that discipline, efficiency, education, and long-term planning can transform a nation.  While The Bahamas cannot replicate another nation entirely, adopting these principles can guide national development and sustainable growth.

As 2026 approaches, the national agenda must move beyond promises and focus on execution, accountability, and measurable results.  Addressing crime, debt, education, health, wages, investment, and national service is essential to securing the future of The Bahamas.

A Christmas Message to the Bahamian People: As the year ends, warm wishes go out to the people of The Bahamas.  May this season bring peace, reflection, and renewed hope. Merry Christmas, and may the coming year bring unity, progress, and national renewal.

December 20, 2025

Source / Comment

Rick Fox is not hiding in The Bahamas

The Future of The Bahamas

Bahamians Deserve More Than Silence

Many have asked: Which party are you joining  None.  Not yet.

Not because I'm undecided but because silence is still masquerading as governance.

People Are Worried

An estimated 350,000 Haitian nationals face the termination of Temporary Protected Status in the United States in the coming months.

People are already worried. They're just afraid to ask.

When decisions of that scale are announced, nations in the region have a right to ask what preparedness looks like.  Not because panic is inevitable, but because planning is responsible.

What does the US Government know that they aren't telling us?

What does The Bahamas Government know that they haven't shared?

Why the rush?  Why the silence?  What's coming?

These questions don't undermine national security.  They strengthen public trust.

Urgency Without Explanation Breeds Distrust.

Last week, Parliament passed a Smuggling of Migrants Act at lightning speed.

Urgency?  Absolutely. Sovereignty matters. Preparedness matters.  But transparency matters too.

We are a nation of 400,000 citizens.  What happens when 350,000 asylum seekers need a place to go?  When does enforcement begin?  What are the routes?  What guarantees that The Bahamas won't become a spillover zone?

What troubled many Bahamians - was not that action was taken, but that it was taken with minimal public briefing, no visible capacity assessment, and little dialogue about downstream impact.

When governments move quickly but refuse to explain their thinking, citizens have every right to ask why.  That silence doesn't calm people.  It unsettles them.

The Pattern Is Repeated With Our Elections.

This same silence appears again most troublingly in how we approach our elections.

Since the by-election, I have asked every party the same questions.  We are still waiting.

Will you commit to a National Day of Voting so no Bahamian has to choose between democracy and survival?

Will you increase transparency in ballot handling and counting so trust is earned, not demanded?

Will you guarantee secret, secure, verified votes?  One person, one vote, one time.

Will you commit to addressing these issues before calling the next general election?

These aren't partisan requests.

They are baseline requirements for trust.

What is concerning is not disagreement on their part, it is refusal to even engage -  on borders and on ballots.   On what matters most their silence can no longer be the answer.

Why I Haven't Chosen a Party?

I won't offer loyalty to a system that treats transparency as a threat.  I won't choose sides when neither side is willing to state its position.

This is not avoidance - it is accountability.

I have been open about my interest in serving.  I have been honest about my questions, my values, and the seriousness with which I am approaching this moment.

I am not hiding.  I am listening.  I am learning.

And I am doing this the way I have approached every arena I've competed in sports, business, entertainment:

Be open. Be honest.  Be inquisitive.  Be willing to learn how to win without losing your principles.

A New Path Forward

Today, I am launching The Bahamas Future Movement.  Not a political party.  A civic platform - nonpartisan and uncompromising.

One mission: forcing transparency where silence has taken hold.

We will:

1. Give Bahamians a voice loud enough to be heard

2. Hold every party accountable before votes are cast

3. Make transparency the price of seeking power

I am investing one million dollars of my own money to build this movement.

No donors and no strings; accountable only to the Bahamian people.

The Challenge

To every political party and leader:

Tell us where you stand on election integrity.

Tell us your plan for border preparedness.

Tell us what you know and what you don't.

Publicly - clearly and now.

The moment any party answers these questions in good faith, I will listen and I will engage.  I will work together for the future of our country.

When I do choose, it will be where transparency has the best chance to lead.

Until then, I stand with the people demanding answers not with a system that hides behind silence.

Join Us

If you are ready to serve, to ask hard questions, and to help build a future rooted in trust join us.

Our leaders can break their silence, or citizens will build something strong enough that silence no longer works.

The Bahamas Future Movement Starts Now

https://www.bahamasfuturemovement.com

Source / Comment

The Bahamas Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs L. Ryan Pinder, KC on the Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2025

The purpose of the Smuggling of Migrants Bill 2005 is not to change who is allowed to stay in The Bahamas.  Its purpose is to give us sharper tools to go after the criminal smugglers who profit from exploiting desperate people and who add to the number of people in our country, The Bahamas - without a legal right to be here...

 

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs L. Ryan Pinder, KC

Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2025

4 December 2025

 

 

As many of you know, several weeks ago, on October 15th, a bill to strengthen our country’s fight against human smuggling was tabled in the House of Assembly.

The proposed legislation has been publicly available online since it was tabled, as is standard for this administration.

With the bill due to be debated in the coming days, discussion regarding the legislation has increased, and we thought it might be helpful, in advance of the debate, to provide Bahamians with information about the changes proposed in the bill, as well as the context and rationales for those changes.

The clear and unequivocal goal of the bill is to reduce human smuggling activity in our country and to thereby reduce the number of migrants in The Bahamas, by criminalizing and increasing penalties for a wide range of activities associated with smuggling.

Migrant smuggling is a heinous crime that exposes vulnerable individuals to deception, abuse, and dangerous conditions.  Without a strong legal framework, criminal networks and enterprises operate with impunity, placing lives at risk and undermining our national security.  The Bill strengthens our ability to hold smugglers accountable as it introduces stiff penalties for those who would exploit the vulnerable for profit.

Under the new law:

...if you procure false documents for migrants;

...if you assist with their entry into our country;

...if you help them pass through our country;

...if your boat or plane is used to transport them;

....if you hide them;

....if you help them stay here;

...if you facilitate or benefit from human smuggling in any way...

...you will be more likely to face prosecution and more likely to suffer significantly harsher consequences.

Every individual who seeks to profit from human suffering and smuggling - while endangering our country and our people - should know that the odds that engaging in the smuggling business will ruin their lives are about to increase dramatically.  New penalties include fines of $300,000 and prison sentences of 15 years.

Until now, prosecutors pursuing smuggling charges have been forced to patch together different provisions from the Penal Code and from Customs and Immigrations laws – the new law closes gaps and loopholes and provides a clearer and more robust set of rules to establish illegality and to increase punishment.

Strengthening and updating the tools we use to better fight criminal networks is something we’ve had to do nearly continually throughout our history.

Our country occupies not only the most beautiful stretch of ocean in the world, but one of the most strategic – for at least five hundred years, these hundreds of thousands of square miles of waters have included vital shipping routes, linking peoples and nations and empires.  The same geography that makes us a critical corridor for legitimate trade and travel has also made us vulnerable to illicit activity.

With more than 700 islands and cays, and hundreds of thousands of miles of territory – but a small population, with limited resources – surveillance and enforcement have long been a challenge.

But all Bahamians should know that we have made historic progress in recent years, under the Prime Minister’s leadership -- he has prioritized substantial investments in new technology, in surveillance and enforcement assets, in robust recruitment and professional training, and in strengthening critical partnerships.

I note that the Prime Minister has skillfully strengthened our strategic and operational partnerships while still standing up for our sovereignty; at the 2022 Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, he resisted considerable pressure to sign a declaration that 20 countries in our region did sign, because he insisted our country could not bear the burden of accepting migrants or refugees.

The progress we’re making now is the result of great effort and coordinated collaboration.  The Commodore, and the Commissioner, and the men and women they lead, have made the most of their expanded capabilities, and significantly strengthened our borders – we have seen, for example, a dramatic increase in the apprehension of smugglers and migrants before they make landfall.  It is notable that our gains have come even as economic, political, and humanitarian crises in Haiti, Cuba, and Venezuela have led, in recent years, to an extraordinary number of their citizens attempting to flee, with many attempting to reach the United States via our waters.

This brings us to another critical reason for the new bill – the new bill improves our capacity to partner with the Trump Administration and the United States, and with other regional partners, including:

• New ways (via Protocol) to share information quickly about smugglers and suspicious boats;

• Clear legal authority for our officers to work with partners at sea, including on foreign-flag boats;

• And - guidance for how our Defence Force and Police can safely stop, check, and even take control of boats when smuggling is suspected – even outside our own waters, in some circumstances.

The passage of this Bill will put us among respected international partners, like the United States and other nations, who recognize the urgency of addressing the crime collectively and responsibly, and will strengthen both our national response and our global partnerships and standing in the world.

Smugglers work across borders, so law enforcement has to as well – the new law makes it easier to team up, share evidence, and run joint patrols with our partners.

As I conclude, I want to address some concerns that have been raised.

I know some Bahamians are asking – what does this mean for our country?  Are the rights of migrants changing?  These are fair questions, that deserve clear answers.

The bill we tabled did not give migrants any new right to enter The Bahamas, to remain in The Bahamas, or to receive any legal status in The Bahamas.  It did not take away any power that we have under the Immigration Act to arrest, detain, charge, or remove people who are here in breach of our laws.

The purpose of the bill is not to change who is allowed to stay.  Its purpose is to give us sharper tools to go after the criminal smugglers who profit from exploiting desperate people and who add to the number of people in our country without a legal right to be here.

The bill does make clear that migrants should not be treated as smugglers under this law, just because they are on the same boat.  Without more evidence, we would not charge the migrant with smuggling.

But they can still be detained, charged with immigration offences, and deported in accordance with our existing immigration laws.  Nothing in the bill removes or weakens those powers.

The bill says that migrants are entitled to humane treatment – entitled to safety, dignity, and nonrefoulement—which means not sending people directly back into serious harm.  This has caused some people to ask whether new “rights” are being created.

That is not the case.  To reiterate - these provisions do not give anyone a right to be granted status or to remain in The Bahamas.

What they do is say that when we intercept a vessel or process a group of migrants, our officers must ensure:

• that people are not subjected to inhumane or degrading treatment;

• that vulnerable persons—such as children, pregnant women, and people with serious medical needs—are identified and handled with care; and

• that returns and repatriations are carried out in an orderly and safe manner.

This is not about changing who can stay.  It is about how our officers conduct themselves while enforcing the law.

We can enforce our laws without abandoning our basic humanity on the high seas or in our detention facilities.  That balance is not new; it has been the practice of our Defence Force for years.

The legal guidance we received is that this articulation of how migrants should be treated, which is consistent with obligations that already exist, does not grant any new rights or entitlements.  But we understand that the concerns that it does are sincere.

This is not difficult to address.  We intend to amend the bill to remove any ambiguity or uncertainty on the point.

We all pray that conditions in other countries improve, and that the flow of migrants slows – but while we pray for the best outcome, we prepare for the worst, and that includes not only expanding our technical and resource capacity but strengthening our laws so we can better prosecute and punish those participating or assisting in any way with the terrible crimes associated with human smuggling.

The bill provides stronger tools for law enforcement, and harsher punishment for criminals – if you want fewer people in our country illegally, you will want to support this bill.

Growing Suspicion and National Doubt over The Bahamas Government Smuggling of Migrants Bill

 

Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas - Put that Smuggling of Migrants Bill on Hold!

HOLD THE BILL!!!

There are some questions emanating from the press release issued by the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in relation to the intention of the Government to debate and pass the "Smuggling of Migrants Bill".

In its own press statement the Government is quoted as saying, "The clause being circulated by Mr Bain deals with smuggled migrants as victims and witnesses of this crime.  It simply prevents a victim from being charged under this new anti-smuggling law for acts that arise directly from being smuggled, such as illegal entry of possession of a fraudulent document supplied by the smuggler".

There are a number of questions that begs a clear and concise answer considering that someone being smuggled may not to be the same as a person being trafficked.  According to The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR )"Human smuggling is when people called smugglers (sometimes referred to as "Coyotes"), help persons cross borders irregularly, typically with their consent, in return for money or other material benefit:

The UNHCR further defines Human Trafficking as the exploitation of people for profit such as forced labor or sexual exploitation".

So the Government needs to explain how can smuggled migrants qualify as victims and witnesses - as well as for short term humanitarian care, if by the UNHCR definition these individuals are typlically smuggled with "their"consent and usually by paying the smuggler money or by other material means?

So this begs the question, if the individuals being smuggled do not fall under the category as persons being kidnapped and trafficked to engage in forced labor and or for sexual exploitation, how do these individuals end up in a proposed Smuggling and Migrants bill in the Commonwealrh of The Bahamas as "Victims" and not "Criminals?

How will the Government determine from a boat or plane load of migrants who qualifies as smuggled persons (someone who paid to be brought to The Bahamas illegally) from trafficked persons (someone kidnapped and forced against their will)?

If the purpose of this bill is designed to put teeth into the law to punish smugglers, it cannot at the same time serve to exonrate those being smuggled as victims and witnesses, shielded from arrest and prosecution.  The probability is that both smuggled migrants and smuggler are on the same vessel for the same purpose.

The general understanding with these kinds of smuggling operations is the individuals desiring to be smuggled to a destination illegally, "pay" a smuggler to smuggle them to said destination.  This would mean that smuggled individuals are not victims, as nothing was done to them nor were they forced to make the journey.  Second the smuggled migrant is indeed a witnesses but a witnesses to a crime and a crime that they are more than likely an accessory to.

There appears to be a section in the bill under the heading "Immunity from prosecution of smuggled migrants" - that says in part "A smuggled migrant cannot be liable to criminal prosecution under this Act in respects of

(A) illegal entry into the receiving country

(B) remaining illegally in the receiving country or transit country or

(C) possessing a fraudulent or identity document

It would be important for the Government to confirm if the above is true and what is their true intent when it comes to these smuggled migrants.  There are many more questions.  I was informed that it was the intent of the Government to debate and pass this bill today, Wednesday December 3rd 2025 or by tomorrow Thursday December 4th 2025.

I would strongly recommend Director of Communications Latrae Rahming encourage the Government to put the brakes on debating and passing this bill until there can be wide spread national consultation and input by the Bahamian people including members of the legal fraternity, the Church and Civil Society.  I was just sent a copy of the bill and like many Bahamians, I have not had sufficient time to read it and I suspect neither have many other citizens.

Bills are comprised of serious legal language and the wrong language used in a bill could result in a wrong or devastating outcome.  Bills tabled in the House of Assembly usually become the law of the land and so every bill should include the correct language, which should be very clear.  However from the looks of things so far, this particular bill doesn't appear to be very clear and could open the door to suspicion and national doubtsuspicion and national doubt.  Just my thoughts.

Kevin Harris 

Wednesday December 3rd 2025

Source / Comment

Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas: ABOUT THE SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS BILL

Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas - STATEMENT ON FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT THE SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS BILL

This is the first time that a Government of The Bahamas is putting a clear, stand alone crime of migrant smuggling into our law.  At present, our Penal Code does not give prosecutors a direct charge for smuggling of migrants.  They must piece together charges under the Penal Code and the Customs and Immigration Acts, which leaves much of the behaviour and methods used by smugglers outside the reach of the courts.

This Bill closes that gap and gives prosecutors and enforcement agencies a strong, modern legal tool to fight the smuggling of migrants and, with it, illegal immigration.

Against this background, the Government of The Bahamas rejects the false and reckless claims being made by Lincoln Bain about the Smuggling of Migrants Bill, 2025.  His comments mislead Bahamians about what the Bill actually does and create unnecessary fear about the safety of our borders.

The Bill leaves the Immigration Act fully in place.  Illegal landing, overstaying and related breaches of immigration law remain criminal offences.  Immigration officers keep their full authority to detain, process and remove people who enter or remain in The Bahamas in breach of our laws.

The purpose of the Bill is to go after the criminal networks that organise and profit from moving people illegally across borders.  Under section 5, a person who commits the offence of smuggling migrants is, on summary conviction, liable to a fine up to S100,000 or imprisonment up to seven years, or both.

On conviction on information, that person is liable to a fine up to $200,000 - imprisonment up to ten years, or both.  Where the smuggling involves aggravated conduct such as endangering life, violence, exploitation, abuse or similar acts, section 5(5) increases the penalties.

In such aggravated cases, on summary conviction the court may impose a fine up to $250,000 or imprisonment up to seven years, or both.  On conviction on information the court may impose a fine up to $300,000 or imprisonment up to fifteen years, or both.

In addition, where the offender owns the aircraft, vessel or vehicle used in the crime, that asset is liable to seizure and forfeiture and the court may impose a further fine up to three thousand dollars for each migrant smuggled.

The clause being circulated by Mr. Bain deals with smuggled migrants as victims and witnesses of this crime.  It simply prevents a victim from being charged under this new anti-smuggling law for acts that arise directly from being smuggled, such as illegal entry or possession of a fraudulent document supplied by the smuggler.

Immigration authorities remain free to act under the Immigration Act, including detention and removal.  There is no wording in the Bill that grants permanent residence, citizenship, or any fast-track to Bahamian status.

The Bill requires only basic, short-term humanitarian care for people in state custody, such as food, shelter and urgent medical attention.  That standard reflects our Constitution, our Christian faith and our international obligations.

It does not create long-term welfare benefits and it does not interfere with removal procedures.

Irregular migration and border control demand serious, honest leadership.  The Government of The Bahamas remains firmly committed to strong borders, tough penalties for smugglers and humane treatment of every person in our custody.

Bahamians can be confident that the Smuggling of Migrants Bill strengthens national security and gives our law enforcement officers stronger tools to break the smuggling networks that threaten our country.

December 2, 2025

Commonwealth of The Bahamas

The Bahamas: From Majority Rule to a Minority Mentality

From Majority Rule to a Minority State of Mind

The Bahamas, a nation born from the triumph of Majority Rule, is now being quietly governed by minority participation.  The very principle that defined our national identity—rule by the many—has weakened into a habit of rule by the few.

By Rick Fox
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas

In the days following the Golden Isles by-election, Parliamentary Commissioner Harrison Thompson admitted officials were “baffled” by what they witnessed.  More than 4,000 registered voters stayed home—four thousand Bahamian voices absent from the democratic table.

This isn’t normal.  This isn’t healthy.  And this certainly isn’t The Bahamas our parents and grandparents fought to build.

It is a warning.

The Bahamas, a nation born from the triumph of Majority Rule, is now being quietly governed by minority participation.  The very principle that defined our national identity—rule by the many—has weakened into a habit of rule by the few.

We once fought to break away from minority governance.  Now, by apathy, we are drifting right back into it.

The Grandfathers of the Nation 

Honored, Respected, But Wrong About Today

Few leaders have shaped modern Bahamian democracy more than Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis—affectionately known as “Daddy”—and former Prime Minister Hubert Alexander Ingraham, the nation’s “Papa.”  They governed in a time when Bahamians turned out in large numbers, when the civic spirit was alive, when Majority Rule felt like an inheritance that could never be lost.

Their leadership deserves respect.  But respectfully, they are applying yesterday’s confidence to today’s crisis.

Papa Ingraham recently said, “You can’t steal an election in The Bahamas.”  Daddy Davis has projected similar assurance, confident that all is steady; that all is well.

But the numbers tell a different story.

With 4,000 voters staying home and only 25% of the electorate determining a parliamentary seat, it is clear that everything is not fine.  Elections today are not being stolen by corruption, they are being stolen by apathy.

The people are not being silenced.  The people are silencing themselves.  That is a threat unlike anything our national fathers ever had to confront.

The 25% Problem and The Quiet Collapse of Majority Rule

In Golden Isles, a candidate did not need half the votes to win.  They only needed a quarter.

Imagine four people sitting at a table, and only one person deciding whether the other three get to eat.  That is not democracy.  That is Minority Rule by default, disguised in the shell of a Majority Rule system.

Apathy made the decision.  Apathy filled the seat.  Apathy now shapes our future more than the electorate does.

If nothing changes, apathy will steal the 2026 General Election—boldly, openly, and without resistance.

The Biblical Consequence of Not Showing Up

Exodus 20:12 instructs us: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.”

This is more than a household command.  It is a national one.

Our mothers and fathers, the generation who delivered Majority Rule paid a price so that the many could decide.  But when thousands stay home and a minority chooses for the majority, we dishonor that sacrifice.  We weaken the foundation they built.  We shorten the lifespan of the society they secured.  Not by curse, but by consequence.

No nation survives when its people stop showing up for it.

The Bahamas Calls Itself a Christian Nation.  But Where Is Our Discipline?

Every Bahamian child knows this line: “Get ready—you're going to church.”  Church was not optional.  It was discipline, Duty and Expectation.  That same discipline is now needed in our democracy.

Voting must become cultural again.  Voting must become expected.  Voting must become a mandate of service, rooted in the same values that shaped us in church.

A democracy cannot stand on 25%, and a nation cannot survive on silence.

A Call to the Pastors of the Nation

When nations face danger, their spiritual leaders must speak, not to endorse parties, but to awaken responsibility.  Isaiah 58:1 says: “Cry aloud, spare not.”

This is such a moment.  Pastors must call on Daddy, Papa, and all political leaders to stand together, not in competition, but in unity before an election date is set, and address this crisis at its root.

This is not politics.  This is stewardship.

The Path Forward: Restore Majority Rule in Practice, Not Just in Memory

If we want the Bahamas to remain a nation governed by the many, not the few, we must modernize and reinforce our democratic practices.

1. Stream the Vote

Let every Bahamian watch the process in real time.  Transparency builds trust.  Trust builds turnout.  Turnout restores Majority Rule.

2. National Civic Duty Day

A once-every-five-year paid holiday for voting.  A day dedicated to civic responsibility, just as Sundays were dedicated to church.  A day that transforms voting from an inconvenience into an expectation.

Make voting a habit. Make voting a duty.  Make voting Bahamian.

The Grandchildren Must Grow Up, and show Up

Here is the truth: We are the grandchildren of Majority Rule.  We didn’t march for it.  We didn’t fight for it.  But we inherited it.

And now it is slipping, not because someone took it, but because we have stopped showing up to protect it.

If we want a Bahamas worthy of the next generation, and if we want a future we can proudly claim there is only one path forward:

We must grow up.  We must stand up.  We must show up now.

Our vote is not merely a right - it is our inheritance.  It is the last piece of power placed directly into our hands by the generation that fought before us.

Every time we stay home, we hand that inheritance away.

Our grandparents carried this country.  Daddy and Papa fought their battles.  Now it’s our turn.

No more waiting.  No more watching.  No more wishing someone older would fix what is now ours to repair.

Grow up, stand up, and show up.  This is our generation’s responsibility - our generation’s Majority Rule moment.

Final Call: 

Reject the Minority Mindset and restore the Bahamian Majority.

Apathy is winning.  Apathy is shrinking our democracy.  Apathy is reversing what our ancestors built.

But we can stop this.  We have the duty, we have the power, and we have the moment - for our fathers, mothers, children; and for the future of The Bahamas.

The Bahamas will belong to all Bahamians, but only if all Bahamians show up.

Source / Comment

U.S.A. Lifts Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti

Allowing Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is inconsistent with U.S. national interest

The Department of Homeland Security today posted a Federal Register notice on the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti.  After consulting with interagency partners, Secretary Noem concluded that Haiti no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS.  This decision was based on a review conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, input from relevant U.S. government agencies, and an analysis indicating that allowing Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is inconsistent with U.S. national interests.

The termination of the Haiti Temporary Protected Status designation is effective February 3, 2026.  If you are an alien who is currently a beneficiary of TPS for Haiti, you should prepare to depart if you have no other lawful basis for remaining in the United States.  You can use the CBP Home mobile application to report your departure from the United States.  This secure and convenient self-deportation process includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential future opportunities for legal immigration to the United States.

Find more information about TPS at uscis.gov/tps. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X(formerlyTwitter, Instagram , YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn

11/26/2025