With general elections constitutionally due by October 2026, Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis is urging members of the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to unite or risk opening the door for a change in government.
Speaking at the PLP’s headquarters on Sunday, Davis called on party members to get “battle ready” and avoid internal strife as the country heads toward the polls.
“The fight is coming, and we will meet it with unity, purpose, and power,” Davis declared. “The Progressive Liberal Party has defeated many things—economic collapse, political attacks, and an opposition with no plan or purpose. But the one thing we cannot afford to fight is ourselves.”
The PLP, which won 32 of the 39 seats in Parliament during the September 16, 2021, general election, has less than 18 months to consolidate its base. Davis emphasized that distractions such as “gossip, backbiting, and rumors” could derail the party’s progress and its chances at re-election.
“The PLP cannot be its biggest enemy,” he said. “We cannot waste time pulling each other down while trying to lift the country. We cannot spend energy fighting internal battles when the real fight is out there, in the streets, in the hearts and minds of the Bahamian people, where the future of this country will be decided.”
Davis made it clear that he would not tolerate behavior that threatens the PLP’s cohesion. “I will not allow that to happen on our watch. We don’t have time for gossip. We don’t have room for backbiting. And we don’t have patience for those more interested in position than purpose,” he added.
Turning his attention to Opposition Leader Michael Pintard of the Free National Movement (FNM), Davis launched a pointed critique of his political rival, questioning Pintard’s qualifications to lead the nation.
“Michael Pintard wants to lead this country, but I have a simple question: What real job has he ever had?” Davis said. “What has he ever built? What has he ever managed outside of press conferences and political complaints? I’ve worked my whole life. I built my legal practice from the ground up. I paid staff. I met payroll. I earned my way in the courtroom and the community. That’s a real job. That’s a real responsibility.”
Davis further criticized Pintard’s political record, branding him as someone who lacks originality and leadership.
“He’s a parrot, not a poet,” Davis said. “He repeats what influential people want to hear. He mimics the voices of those who already have influence instead of using his platform to speak for those who have none. He doesn’t challenge power. He echoes it.
“And in all his years in politics, what does he have to show? He spoke against raising the minimum wage. He voted against feeding children through the school breakfast program. He resisted energy reform while families struggled under the weight of high bills. He talks in headlines but delivers nothing.”
The Prime Minister warned that if the FNM is returned to office, key national projects could be jeopardized.
“Let me tell you what’s on the line,” Davis said. “The hospital in Grand Bahama, the airport redevelopment, the jobs from the Grand Lucayan project, the school breakfast expansions, and the progress in energy reform are all at risk.
“So don’t let anyone tell you this is just politics. This is personal for every Bahamian family trying to get ahead.”
