Good afternoon, friends.
It truly is a joy to be with you today. This is a special moment, one filled with gratitude, pride, and celebration.
Today, we honour you – the men and women who have given thirty years of your lives in service to Breezes, to our hospitality industry, and, most importantly, to our country.
When I look out at this room, I do not just see long-serving employees. I see ambassadors of The Bahamas. For three decades, each of you has been carrying the story of our nation to the world – one smile, one conversation, one act of kindness at a time.
Think about that thirty years.
Thirty years of waking up and showing up.
Thirty years of working through good days and bad days, through seasons of growth and seasons of challenge.
Thirty years of standing tall when storms passed over us, when hurricanes came and went, when the economy slowed down, and even when a pandemic shook the world.
Through it all, you stayed faithful to your work, faithful to your colleagues, faithful to your guests, and faithful to the values that have built our hospitality industry.
That is extraordinary.
And while the record books might count thirty years, what really matters is what those years represent.
They represent countless guests welcomed, thousands of stories told, and memories created that people carry back to their homes in every corner of the world.
You see, you have never been “just workers.” From the very first day you started, you became the face of The Bahamas to visitors.
When a guest checked in, you were often their first impression.
When they needed help, you were their steady hand.
When they looked for warmth, you gave them more than good service – you gave them Bahamian hospitality.
And what is Bahamian hospitality?
It is that feeling of being welcomed like family, of being treated with respect, of being cared for as though you are home. That is what you have offered every day for thirty years.
I want to thank you – not just for your loyalty to this company, but for being ambassadors of our nation.
You have carried our culture, our kindness, and our pride into every interaction. You have shown the world that our greatest asset is not our beaches or our sunshine, it is our people.
I have always believed in the Bahamian worker. I believe in your strength, your resilience, your creativity, and your determination. Time after time, our people have shown that they can rise to any challenge.
You, gathered here today, are proof of that belief. For thirty years, you have proven that Bahamian workers are not only capable but exceptional. You have shown that when given the opportunity, our people can meet and exceed every expectation.
And you remind the younger generation that the path to success is paved with hard work, with commitment, and with pride in what you do.
So today is about gratitude. Gratitude for the hours you’ve worked, the sacrifices you’ve made, and the service you’ve given.
Gratitude for the way you have carried yourselves with dignity and pride.
Gratitude for the way you have represented The Bahamas to the world.
You deserve this recognition. You deserve this celebration. And you deserve to know, beyond a doubt, that your country values you.
I want each of you to hear me clearly: We see you. We honour you. And we thank you.
This celebration also carries a message for all Bahamians. It is a reminder that our country is built on the shoulders of its workers.
Every success we enjoy as a nation comes back to people like you who put in the time, who show up every day, and who give your best.
It is easy to talk about big projects or new investments, but none of it matters without the people who make those plans real.
You are the ones who keep our industries moving.
You are the ones who give our country its reputation for excellence.
That is why, as Prime Minister, I will always stand on the side of Bahamian workers. Our policies, our investments, our decisions – they are guided by a belief that when we strengthen our workers, we strengthen our nation.
And as we honour thirty years of service, I also want us to look forward. The future will bring new challenges.
Technology will continue to reshape how we work.
Global competition will continue to grow. Climate change will test us in new ways.
But I am confident, because I believe in you. I believe in Bahamian workers. I believe that just as you have carried us through the last thirty years, you will carry us forward into the next thirty.
You have shown us that loyalty is not old-fashioned, that service is not outdated, and that hard work still matters. That lesson will serve us well as we move into a new era for our country.
Before I close, let me say something from the heart. As Prime Minister, I have the honour of representing our nation in many places. But I know that the true representatives of The Bahamas are you.
You are the ones people remember. You are the ones who make our country shine in the eyes of the world.
And so, I stand here not just to congratulate you but to thank you personally.
Thank you for being the kind of ambassadors who make me proud to be Bahamian.
Thank you for proving that the strength of our nation lies in its people.
Thank you for showing, day after day, that work done with love and pride is the most powerful gift we can give.
So to all of you being honored today: congratulations. Thirty years is an incredible achievement, and your service has made a profound impact on this company, on our industry, and on our nation.
May the years ahead bring you good health, happiness, and the knowledge that you have made a difference. You have given so much, and today we simply pause to say thank you.
On behalf of the Government and the people of The Bahamas, I salute you. May God bless you, may God bless your families, and may God bless our beloved Bahamas.