The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter 

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

NEWLY appointed Senator D’Asante Small yesterday pledged to use her platform in the Senate to push for stronger protections for vulnerable Bahamians, including missing persons, victims of gender-based violence and those facing mental health challenges.

At Government House, she outlined five priorities after receiving her Instrument of Appointment, noting her focus is on public safety, mental health, youth intervention, women’s leadership, and addressing gender-based violence.

She said she intends to advocate for a stronger national response to missing children and missing adults, particularly those suffering from conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, stressing that every missing person is a parent, child, relative or friend.

She described mental health as a national issue affecting homes, schools and workplaces. She intends to advocate for a dedicated mental health emergency hotline, improved community-based services and better support for affected individuals and families. She said people should not have to suffer in silence or feel ashamed to seek help, and that mental well-being deserves the same attention as physical health.

She said she would use her role to expand opportunities for women in national leadership by encouraging training, mentorship and meaningful inclusion in decision-making spaces. She said there are many capable women who simply need a fair chance and that when women advance, families and communities advance with them.

She said gender-based violence continues to create fear within Bahamian homes, and she intends to elevate national urgency around prevention and response through stronger protections, improved reporting channels, survivor-centred services and ongoing public dialogue. She stressed that no Bahamian should feel unsafe in their home or in their country.

Prime Minister Davis said her appointment was part of a wider effort to place more young Bahamians and more women in significant public roles. He described the day as a proud moment for the country and for Small’s family.

He traced her path from Girls Brigade and church band to St John’s College, the University of Tampa, work with the Public Hospitals Authority, national events surrounding the fiftieth anniversary of independence, international representation at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and her involvement with workforce development boards. He said her life experience belongs at the legislative table and that she comes to the Senate as someone who has already carried substantial responsibility.