Grow Up, Bahamas: Stop Whining About the Prime Minister’s Travels

Bahamians love to complain. They complain about the sun, they complain about the rain. They complain about no jobs, then complain about too much work. They want money, but would prefer if someone gave it to them. But lately, the chorus of childish grumbling over Prime Minister Philip Davis’s international travels has reached a new level of petty. Let’s be clear: these complaints aren’t about accountability but small-mindedness. And frankly, it’s embarrassing. The opposition would want us to stay in the dark ages. But travel is essential to “make friends and influence people”.

This Isn’t a Vacation

Every time Davis boards a plane, certain voices scream “waste of money!” or “just another trip!” as if he’s heading off on a cruise to sip cocktails. But let’s not forget, he’s not flying around the world for fun—he’s fighting for this country’s survival. The Bahamas is on the frontline of climate change, dependent on tourism, and vulnerable to global economic shocks. We need allies, investment, and climate financing. That doesn’t fall from the sky. It comes from showing up in the rooms where deals are made, unlike the fraudulent OBAN deal signed here with cameras rolling.

The Hypocrisy of the Critics

Here’s the irony: if Davis stayed home, the same critics would whine that we’re missing out on international opportunities. “Why aren’t we at the table?” they’d cry. You can’t be at the table if you’re hiding in Nassau to avoid social media noise. Other small nations send their leaders out to hustle on the world stage. Why should The Bahamas shrink back because many complainers can’t tell the difference between diplomacy and a vacation?

Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish Thinking

Yes, travel costs money, but the returns can dwarf the expenses. Climate aid is worth hundreds of millions, foreign investments create jobs, and partnerships build resilience, and those are won through face-to-face diplomacy. To moan about airfare while ignoring the potential billions in benefits is the height of penny-wise, pound-foolish thinking. It’s the kind of mentality that keeps a country small. Let’s focus on the potential benefits and the bright future they can bring.

A National Immaturity

At the heart of these complaints is a childish refusal to see beyond today’s headlines. We want world-class healthcare, resilient infrastructure, and opportunities for our young people—but we don’t want our leaders to do the heavy lifting required to secure them? That’s national immaturity, plain and simple. Progressive-minded countries like Barbados and Jamaica know that their progress lies in partnerships with other like-minded countries.

Time to Demand Results, Not Whine About Motion

If Bahamians want to hold Davis accountable, they should do it on outcomes. Ask what deals he secured, what aid he unlocked, and what investments he brought home. That’s a mature democracy. But to cry foul simply because the man is on a plane again? That’s political tantrum-throwing. Only primitive-minded Bahamians constantly talk about travel because they want us to go back in the clutches of the “masters,” who would prefer we remain ignorant.

The Bahamas has enough real problems to solve without wasting breath on petty nonsense. It’s time we grew up as a nation, stopped whining about the Prime Minister’s travels, and started focusing on what matters: whether those travels deliver for the Bahamian people. Let’s engage in a mature national discourse, concentrate on results and progress.

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