The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribubemedia.net 

PRIME Minister Philip Davis said he will take to Cabinet proposals to invest in the future of journalism in The Bahamas, casting the survival of a strong, independent press as essential to democracy at a time when misinformation spreads faster than facts.

He was speaking during the opening of Righteous Realignment Bahamas, a new media outlet designed to examine "where we are as a nation, where we've drifted, and whether we are still anchored to the principles our forefathers dug deep into this land." 

Mr Davis devoted a significant portion of his address to the role of the media, warning of a global environment in which truth is increasingly crowded out by distortion and political manipulation. He described the press as “part of the structure” of democracy and said support for journalism must be treated as a long-term investment, not a crisis intervention.

“I am going to ask Cabinet to explore how we can invest in, and help develop, the future of journalism in The Bahamas,” Mr Davis said, adding that this would include support for training and professional development, strengthening media literacy and standards, and building “stronger pathways for young people to enter the field with skill and confidence”.

He cautioned journalists against allowing themselves to be drawn into partisan battles or used as political tools.

“If the people are sovereign, then the people must have access to what is true, what is proven, what is happening, and what it means for their lives.

The press is not here to repeat what Brave says, or what Pintard says, or what any public figure says,” the prime minister said. “The press is here to test it. To verify it. To interpret it. To explain policy in plain language so people can understand whether a decision is benefiting them, or failing them.”

Mr Davis warned that democratic societies often erode quietly rather than collapse suddenly, arguing that trust breaks down when citizens stop believing facts matter or that institutions can act fairly.

He described journalism as “one of the last walls protecting our democracy”, referencing former US President John F Kennedy’s remarks on the responsibilities of the press in a free society.

“He said the press must inform, arouse, reflect, lead, educate, and sometimes anger public opinion,” Mr Davis said. “That is not a call to recklessness. It is a warning about duty. A reminder that journalism must do more than entertain. It must do more than chase attention. It must protect the public’s right to know, and the public’s ability to decide.”

The prime minister said the country was at “a crossroads in the national conversation”, warning that outrage is easily monetised, cynicism is widespread, and that The Bahamas risks drifting into an era where “people no longer trust anything, and where division becomes the default setting”.

Addressing the next generation of reporters directly, Mr Davis named Jade Russell, Leandra Rolle, Earyel Bowleg, Jose Etienne, Delvardo Emmanuel, Devonte Hanna, Joshua Williams, Marlena Leonard, Linton Ritchie and Diane as the future of Bahamian journalism, telling them the responsibility of the profession now rests with them.

“It is not always glamorous. It is not always appreciated. People will praise you when your story helps them, and curse you when your story challenges them. Some will try to pressure you. Some will try to label you. Some will try to turn you into a weapon for one side or the other,” Mr Davis said. “Do not let them. Your loyalty is to the public. Your discipline is to the facts. Your standard must be fairness. Your work must be grounded in proof. And when you do that, even people who disagree with you will know you are serious.”

He commended the journalists he named for their long hours, personal risk and effort, as well as the “restraint it takes to stay professional when the temperature is high” and to inform the public rather than “chase clicks”.