Friends,
I grew up on Cat Island. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
I remember what it was like when someone in our settlement fell sick. There were no clinics nearby. Most times, there was not even a doctor.
Families would gather. Neighbours would help. Prayers would be said.
And always there was the question: would help arrive in time?
These experiences never left me. It is why healthcare, for me, is personal.
It is life and death.
It is about whether a child grows up, whether a mother survives childbirth, whether a father lives long enough to walk his daughter down the aisle.
Every Bahamian family has a story.
A grandmother waiting too long for dialysis.
A child with asthma whose treatment was hours away.
A young man who did not make it to Nassau in time for emergency surgery.
That is why, over the past four years, my government has put healthcare at the heart of our agenda.
We knew the system was strained. We knew it had been neglected.
But we did not look for excuses. We got to work.
We procured ambulances for our Family Islands. I am also advised that an ambulance procured for Long Island will be sent, because no Bahamian should be carried in the back of a truck when their life is in danger.
We began the training of more EMS personnel, because resources alone are not enough.
An ambulance without a trained team is just a vehicle. It is the training and the teamwork that save lives.
We invested in new hospitals to expand capacity.
We upgraded Family Island clinics, many of which had gone without improvements for decades.
We expanded telemedicine, so that a patient in Inagua or Mayaguana could be seen by a specialist in Nassau.
We trained and upskilled Bahamian health professionals, so our own people can deliver world-class care.
And we built on the National Health Insurance programme. Today, thousands of Bahamians are enrolled in NHI, receiving care and coverage that was once out of reach.
We also launched our organ program, and for the first time this year, a successful kidney transplant was performed here in The Bahamas.
That moment was historic. It proved that our people do not always need to fly away to find hope.
For the first time, hope was delivered right here at home.
We did not get here overnight.
Step by step, decision by decision, we have been fixing what was broken and building what was missing.
Still, I knew that repairing what was broken today would not be enough. If we only catch up, we will fall behind again.
We must prepare for tomorrow.
That is why, last year, we passed the Longevity and Regenerative Therapies Act.
This law created a framework for advanced treatments such as stem cells, gene therapies, and regenerative medicine to be researched and offered here safely and ethically. It set up oversight boards, ethics committees, and safeguards to protect patients.
We did this because Bahamians deserve access to the best science.
Families should not have to mortgage their homes to send loved ones abroad.
Hope should not depend on a passport.
It was a bold decision for a small country. But it was the right decision. Because if we want to give Bahamians the best chance at long, healthy lives, we cannot be content with catching up.
We must lead.
And that brings us to tonight.
When Cellcolabs, a respected Swedish company, was looking for a regional base for a new Stem Cell and Regenerative Research Lab, they could have gone anywhere.
They chose The Bahamas. They chose us because of the law we passed, the seriousness of our commitment, and the trust we have built.
They joined with the Live Well Family Health Centre, led by a son of the soil, Dr. Darius Bain, a Bahamian determined to bring world-class care home.
This partnership is not just about buildings or equipment. It is about Bahamian doctors and nurses working side-by-side with international experts.
It is about jobs for our young people, opportunities for our students, and hope for families who once thought these treatments were beyond reach.
That is what partnership looks like:
Government creating the framework.
Bahamian institutions stepping forward.
International partners bringing investment and expertise.
Together, delivering change that people can see and touch.
But let me also be clear. Regenerative medicine is powerful, but it can also be misused. There are always those who will try to exploit desperation. That is why our law is strict.
Approvals must be earned. Clinics must be licensed. Oversight must be constant.
We will not allow reckless science. We will not allow false hope. We will protect our people. Because credibility is everything.
Without it, patients suffer. With it, innovation saves lives.
Friends, healthcare is not just another service. It is a moral commitment. A nation cannot be strong if its people are sick. A family cannot thrive if medical bills bankrupt them. And no child should grow up wondering if survival depends on where they live.
That is why healthcare has been one of my government’s central priorities these past four years.
And that is why it will remain so.
Because when we fix healthcare, we are saving lives, preserving families, strengthening communities, and protecting the future of our nation.
So where do we go from here?
We continue to build hospitals and clinics.
We continue to expand telemedicine.
We continue to train Bahamian professionals.
We continue to equip EMS teams on every island with the skills and resources they need.
We continue to embrace partnerships that bring world-class care to our shores.
We also need to focus more on prevention. Diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease take too many lives. If we do not prevent, we will never keep up with treatment.
And we must guarantee equity. It should not matter if you are in Nassau, Inagua, Exuma, or Cat Island. Every Bahamian deserves the same chance at care.
This will not be finished overnight. But the work has begun. The foundation is strong. The direction is clear.
And so, let me end with this.
We have all heard the stories of Bahamians searching for hope.
A father who wants one more chance to see his children grow.
A mother who longs for treatment without leaving home.
A young person battling illness who just wants to believe tomorrow will be better than today.
Those stories are everywhere, in Nassau, in Grand Bahama, and in every Family Island. They remind us that healthcare is not about buildings or laws. It is about the simple, powerful human desire for a chance at life, a chance at dignity, a chance at hope
That is what this work is about. That is why we have invested, why we have reformed, why we are embracing partnerships like Cellcolabs and Live Well.
Because when Bahamians go looking for hope, they should be able to find it right here at home.
Friends,
I grew up on Cat Island. I know what it feels like to wait for help that might not come. That is why I cannot stop until every Bahamian, no matter where they live, has access to the care they deserve.
Fixing health care is urgent. It is life and death. But it is also within our grasp, because we have begun, we have partners, and we have the determination to see it through.
Before I close, allow me to once again offer my sincere thanks to Cellcolabs, there’s no doubt that today’s investment demonstrates confidence in The Bahamas as a jurisdiction, and shows that our economy is on the move.
Finally, let me warmly congratulate both Cellcolabs and Live Well Family Health Centre on this new and groundbreaking venture. We wish you every success as you move forward, and look forward to the many ways your work will bring benefits not only to your patients, but to the wider Bahamian community.
Thank you.