Prime Minister Philip Davis’s Keynote Address
The Small Business Development Centre’s EmpowerMEN Forum – Margaritaville Beach Resort
November 19, 2024
“Friends, this past Sunday, as I stood in the stillness of the church, holding my grandson during his christening, a flood of memories overtook me.
In his tiny, fragile face, I saw a reflection of my own boyhood—a time when life was bare and unforgiving.
Growing up barefoot on the rugged roads of Cat Island, I learned quickly that the world offers no kindness to those who have nothing. But I also learned that there is a fire within us, lit by faith and determination, that no hardship can extinguish.
I know why this fight is personal.
It’s personal because I know what it is to feel the weight of the world pressing down on you. To wonder if there is a future waiting beyond the horizon.
I know what it is to dream of more while the world tells you less.
I have walked that road, and I carry its dust with me even now.
This is personal because I know the difference it makes when someone reaches out, when someone believes in you enough to say, “You matter. You can rise.”
For me, it was mentors, family, and faith that carried me from those barefoot days to this moment.
But what of the boys who have no one? What of the young men who are left to fend for themselves, lost in a storm of neglect and despair? I cannot look at them and not see myself.
That is why this fight burns within me—it is a fight for every boy who wonders if his life has meaning.
I have seen the statistics; I know the odds.
But statistics cannot capture the quiet pain of a boy left behind. They cannot tell the story of a young man who could have been great if only someone had believed in him.
And they cannot silence the voice within me that says, “Do something. Change this.”
This is a mission.
A mission to ensure that no boy grows up believing that his circumstances define him. A mission to remind every young man that his worth is not measured by where he starts, but by the courage he shows in rising above.
When I held my grandson, I prayed not just for him, but for all our sons. I prayed that they would know what it is to be lifted, to be guided, to be loved.
And I vowed that as long as I have breath, I will fight for them. Not out of obligation, but out of the deep, unshakable belief that they deserve better—and that we, as men, have the power to give it to them.
We all know what it means to struggle, to hope, and to rise.
This fight is personal to each of us because I know what is possible when we refuse to give up on each other. And I will not give up on them. Not now, not ever.
My brothers, let me speak plainly.
The numbers may speak of failure, of decline, of a generation slipping through our fingers. But I refuse to accept that story as the final word.
No trend, no statistic, no grim forecast is stronger than the will of determined men who choose to stand together and say, “Enough.”
I know we can reverse this trend because I have seen what is possible when belief replaces doubt and action silences despair.
I am living proof that where there is faith and opportunity, lives can be transformed. But the work does not rest on one man or one program—it rests on all of us.
When we see young men faltering, it is not their failure alone. It is ours.
It is a mirror held up to our society, asking us whether we will look away or confront what is broken.
And let me tell you, the trends we see are not destiny—they are the result of neglect, disconnection, and an unwillingness to do what is difficult but necessary.
That can change.
We can change it.
Look at our history. We are a people who have weathered storms, literal and figurative, and come out stronger.
Do not tell me we cannot rise again. Do not tell me we cannot mend what is broken in our boys, our men, and our communities.
It will not be easy, but nothing worth saving ever is.
If we are to reverse the trend, we must begin by rebuilding the foundation. We must teach our boys that strength is not measured in aggression but in discipline, character, and love.
We must show them that their worth is not in what they own but in who they are. And above all, we must give them the tools—not just to survive but to thrive.
This is not an impossible task.
The seeds of greatness are already within our young men.
What they need is soil to grow in, light to guide them, and hands to steady them when they falter.
We are those hands, my brothers. We are the light.
So let us not be deterred by statistics.
Let us not be discouraged by those who say the problem is too far gone. Instead, let us prove them wrong. Let us take action—real, sustained, and meaningful action—to ensure that the next chapter of our story is one of renewal and triumph.
We can reverse this trend. We must reverse this trend. And when we do, we will look back and know that this was the moment we chose to rise above despair and to be the men our sons and our grandsons deserve.
Brothers, the Men in Business Initiative is a lifeline.
It is our collective hand, extended to pull our young men back from the brink and onto a path of purpose and prosperity.
For too long, many of our sons have stood at the edge of opportunity, peering in, but unable to cross the threshold.
This initiative says to them, “You are not alone. We see you, and we are here to walk with you.”
I know what it is to need that hand.
As a young man growing up in Cat Island, the weight of dreams unrealized was heavy. But I was fortunate—someone reached out to me. Someone believed in me.
That belief was a bridge over troubled waters, and it is that same bridge we now extend to others through this initiative.
This is about more than funding, mentorship, or training—it is about restoring dignity.
It is about telling our men that they are not forgotten, that they matter, and that their dreams are worth fighting for. The Men in Business Initiative is a declaration of faith in their potential and a commitment to helping them realize it.
We know the struggles they face: the lack of access, the systemic barriers, the doubts that creep in when the world feels unkind.
But we also know the fire that burns within every Bahamian man—the drive to succeed, to provide, to leave a legacy.
This initiative is here to fan that flame, to give them the tools, the guidance, and the support they need to transform their aspirations into achievements.
Let us not underestimate the power of a helping hand. A single act of belief can change a life. A single opportunity can rewrite a destiny.
Through the Men in Business Initiative, we are saying to our brothers across the nation: “We believe in you. Now go and show the world what you can do.”
Together, we can build a future where no man is left behind, where every man has the chance to rise, and where the full strength of Bahamian ingenuity and resilience is unleashed.
This is our hand, extended in solidarity and love. May they take it, and may we never falter in offering it.
My brothers, if we are to move forward, we must first confront the uncomfortable truths that hold us back.
It is not enough to place blame or lament the state of our men—we must look in the mirror and face the reflection staring back at us. For in that mirror lies the challenge and the answer: the need to redefine what it means to be a man.
Too often, manhood has been measured by the wrong yardsticks. Strength has been mistaken for dominance, silence for resilience, and material wealth for worth.
These are the myths that have led too many of our men astray, leaving them adrift in a world that demands more than bravado.
It is time we confront these falsehoods with honesty and courage.
True manhood is not about what you take but what you give. It is not found in power over others but in the strength to uplift those around you.
It is in the ability to admit when we are wrong, to ask for help when we need it, and to face our flaws with humility and resolve.
Yes, this requires looking at the ugliness we often hide—the pain we carry, the anger we suppress, the fears we deny.
But it is only by acknowledging these truths that we can transform them. To be a man is not to be perfect; it is to be honest, accountable, and relentless in the pursuit of growth.
We must teach this to our sons—not just through words but through example. Let them see us as men who value integrity over image, compassion over pride, and purpose over pretense.
Let them learn from us that true strength lies in vulnerability, that real courage is in confronting the hardest truths about ourselves and emerging better for it.
This is no easy task, but it is a necessary one. For the decline of men in our society is not inevitable—it is a call to action.
And the first step is to redefine what it means to be a man in a way that reflects not just strength but wisdom, not just ambition but purpose.
Let us rise to this challenge, my brothers. Let us lead by example, showing the next generation that manhood is not a burden but a gift, one that carries the power to change families, communities, and nations.
Together, we can rebuild the foundation of what it means to be a man—and in doing so, we can rebuild the soul of our society.
Let us act now, with urgency and purpose.
Let this initiative be the bridge that turns despair into hope, dreams into reality, and men into leaders.
Together, we can build a future where no man is left behind.
The time is now. Let us rise. Let us lead. Let us change lives.
Thank You.”
