We decided to share this article with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE, which has a huge following among the Bahamian diaspora across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as well as in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. The Nassau Guardian published this article by Kaitlyn Babb on Wedensday, August 7, 2025.
By: Kaitlyn Babb
Guardian Staff Reporter
kaitlyn@nasguard.com
Prime Minister Philip Davis said yesterday that he is deeply concerned about what politics is turning Bahamians into, asserting that some people no longer just argue, they attack and are quick to label others as corrupt, wicked, and irredeemable.
“I’ll tell you what scares me, it’s not just the crime, it’s not just the poverty, it’s not even the political tension, what scares me most is what politics is turning us into,” Davis said, as he addressed a crowd at the Church of God of Prophecy’s “Love Thy Neighbor” event.
“Once upon a time, we could disagree and still share a meal. We could support different parties and still go to the same church, cheer for the same Junkanoo group, raise our children on the same block.
“Today, we don’t just argue, we attack. We don’t just disagree, we despise.
“It’s not enough for someone to be wrong in our eyes, now we must make them out to be wicked, corrupt, irredeemable.”
He added, “I am deeply afraid of what politics is making us become.”
“If we lose civility, if we lose decency, if we begin to see every opponent as an enemy, we’re entering a different reality. One where our country can’t hold together.”
He encouraged residents to consider others, and extend grace to those around them, as he said the strength of The Bahamas is found in the way Bahamians treat each other.
“Treat others the way you want others to treat you,” he said.
“That’s not just a moral guideline. That’s how we survive. That’s how we heal.
“Do we speak with kindness? Do we forgive when it’s hard? Do we choose truth over gossip? Do we help, even when no one is watching?
“These are the questions that determine our future. Not just who wins an election. Not just what laws are passed. But how we live together, or fail to.”
He added, “You don’t have to agree with someone to treat them with dignity. You don’t have to like someone’s choices to respect their humanity. You don’t have to share someone’s story to honor their struggle.
“We can disagree. That’s democracy. That’s life. But we must never let disagreement lead us to devalue one another.”