Nassau, The Bahamas – The Prime Minister today underscored his government’s commitment to placing Bahamians at the centre of the country’s historic construction boom.
Speaking during a visit to the Water Tower Construction Site, Prime Minister Davis noted that while investment in the sector has reached record levels, there remains a shortage of Bahamian workers in critical trades. He made clear that his administration will not accept the claim that Bahamians are “not trained,” and announced a series of measures to ensure Bahamians are prepared for and given access to these opportunities.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the government has granted land for the development of a new Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) campus. This major investment in skills training will expand capacity to equip Bahamians with the qualifications needed in fields such as electrical work, welding, HVAC, and masonry.
In addition, the government is:
• Expanding its apprenticeship programme, paying Bahamians to learn trades while they work.
• Partnering with the private sector to close the skills gap and align training with industry demand.
• Directing the Departments of Labour and Immigration to work together to ensure jobs created in the sector are filled by Bahamians first.
• Building a national skills database to better match Bahamian workers with available opportunities.
“The construction boom is real,” said Prime Minister Davis. “But so too is the need to make sure Bahamians are at the centre of it. We will not write people off. We will invest in their training, expand opportunities, and change the system so that more Bahamians can take ownership of our economy and build a life of stability and pride.”
Prime Minister Davis emphasized that this initiative is part of the administration’s broader mission of expanding opportunities island by island. “This government is determined to ensure that economic growth reaches every community. Progress must not be measured only in buildings or investment levels, but in how many Bahamians are given the chance to share in it,” he said.
The Office of the Prime Minister will continue to provide updates as these initiatives move forward.