Friends,
I am fighting for a version of The Bahamas where our children walk home without fear, where our young men are building lives — not burying dreams — and where no mother has to hear the words, “Your child is gone.”
That’s the future I’m working for. That’s why I came today — not just to speak, but to listen.
Because no matter how many policies we pass or how many press conferences we hold, nothing replaces hearing directly from the people who live it — day by day, street by street.
Last week, we celebrated 52 years of independence. It was a proud moment — a reminder of what it means to stand on our own, to shape our destiny, to call this country our own. But it also made me reflect on the challenges we share in the country we all love.
Friends, my government is doing its part.
We’ve strengthened the police force — more officers on the ground, more vehicles, better equipment, improved training.
We’re investing in the prevention side too — youth programmes, mentorship, job opportunities, after-school support.
And we’ve rolled out a five-point plan to tackle crime in a way that is structured, targeted, and sustained:
- Prevention – to get ahead of crime before it starts.
- Policing and Detection – to disrupt gangs, remove guns, and keep our streets safe.
- Prosecution – to ensure justice is swift, fair, and competent.
- Punishment – to make sure consequences are real, including seizing the assets of criminals.
- Rehabilitation – because some people deserve — and need — a second chance.
We are doing the work — we cannot do this alone. Only the community can rebuild what has been broken. Only neighbours can restore what silence has allowed to grow.
You remember the porch? You remember when folks sat outside and watched the neighbourhood? 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.
We need to bring the porch back. We need to bring back the kind of community that doesn’t look away.
And I say this from a place of love, especially to the parents here:
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.
Now, allow me to speak directly to the young men of our country.
My sons. My brothers.
Let me say something clearly, from my heart: I love you.
I think about you every single day. You keep me up at night. I wonder where you are, who you’re with, if you’ll live to see the potential I know you carry.
Too many of you feel unseen, unheard, written off. Too many of you believe the only way to be respected is through fear.
I refuse to accept that. I am making it my personal mission to give you a fighting chance.
I want you to win. I want you to build. I want you to lead.
Not in the shadows — but in the light.
I’m not here to punish you. I’m here to lift you.
But you have to meet us halfway. You have to want something better. And when you do, we’ll be there.
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.
And to everyone here, this isn’t just about stopping crime.
This is 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.
Progress is good, but it doesn’t bring back the son, the brother, the friend whose life was cut short. And so we press on.
So yes, the government is doing its part. But now we need you, the community, to do yours.
We only have one country. We don’t get another. Let’s fight for it. Let’s fix it. Let’s protect it — together.
And finally, let me say this: 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.
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.