Prime Minister Philip Davis’s Remarks at Cabinet Memorial of the 7th Anniversary of Hurricane Dorian

Good morning.

Seven years ago, Hurricane Dorian brought devastation on a scale and ferocity that has changed our nation forever. Many lives were lost, and although the years have passed, their families still carry the profound weight of that loss.

Today, we pause to remember those whose lives were taken in Abaco and Grand Bahama. 

We honour their memory, we hold their families in our hearts, and we pray that God will continue to strengthen and comfort them, and bring restoration and healing.

We remember the survivors – those who endured the unimaginable, and then began again with little left to call their own.

We remember those who rose to help. First responders. Volunteers. Doctors and nurses. Neighbours who took in neighbours, and strangers who became family.

We remember the children whose childhood was interrupted, and who are now young men and women carrying that storm within them.

Seven years on, we measure ourselves by what we have done with the lessons Dorian taught us. 

That preparation is not a choice. That resilience is a responsibility. That no island and no settlement can be left behind. 

We rebuild and we regrow in their honour – guided by what we learned, and strengthened by the resilience of our people.

To the families who still mourn: you are not alone. This nation stands with you, today and every day.

In a moment, we will bow our heads in silence. In that silence, let us remember, let us give thanks, and let us renew our commitment to one another.

May the memory of those we lost remain a light in our hearts. May their families find comfort. And may their lives inspire us to build a safer, stronger, and more united Bahamas.

May God bless you, and may God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.