IT WAS A WAVE IN 2021 AND 2026! NOW EVERY MP MUST STAND ON ITS OWN BOTTOM, NO MORE ARROGANCE

The Bahamian people have spoken. Loudly. Clearly. Decisively. And in a democracy, that voice must be respected. There is now a new government with a fresh mandate, and whether one supported the outcome or not, the will of the people is the will of the people. Some would even say, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”

Yet, astonishingly, not even one full week into the new administration, there are already those behaving as if the sky is falling. Some have become so emotionally invested in politics that they have reportedly gone into “praying and fasting” for the downfall of the newly elected Government. Imagine that. Before Ministers have been sworn in, before policies have had time to breathe, before the dust of the election has fully cleared, there are already prophets of doom sharpening their knives.

But such is politics. The naysayers will always be among us. They are the same people who complain when it is hot and complain when it is cold. They complain when the government acts and when it pauses to consult. They are impossible to satisfy because dissatisfaction has become their permanent condition. No matter what progress is made, they search endlessly for misery, confusion, and scandal because outrage is the only fuel they know.

Tomorrow, however, will still be a brighter day. The Bahamas has survived far worse than bitter election emotions, and the country will continue to move forward long after the noise fades away. Governments come and go, but the nation remains. And the people have entrusted Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis and his administration with another term because they saw enough good work to renew that trust.

While the criticism from the outside is expected, another warning must be delivered honestly and directly — criticism from within. Some Members of Parliament, particularly a few who were fortunate to win office the first time around, became far too puffed up with self-importance. Somewhere between victory night and governance, humility disappeared. The ordinary people who walked the roads with them during campaign season suddenly found themselves ignored once the tinted vehicles, police escorts, and license plates arrived.

Some began acting as though they were royalty rather than public servants. Arrogance turned off voters. Condescension turned off voters. Accessibility disappeared, and voters noticed every bit of it. Truthfully, had these individuals not benefited from the popularity and temperament of Prime Minister Davis, there could have been far more political casualties at the polls. The Prime Minister carried many on his back.

So here is some unsolicited advice for the next five years: come down off the horse. Be regular people again. Stop behaving as though the colour of a license plate makes you superior to anybody else. Keep the same cellphone number you proudly handed out during campaign season. Answer messages. Return calls. Attend funerals without cameras. Visit communities when there is no election around the corner. Humility is not weakness; it is survival in politics.

Bahamians have very long memories, and they will not be as forgiving next time. Yes, there were several candidates who did a yeoman’s job, worked tirelessly, connected with their communities, and earned every vote they received. But others simply rode the wave. There was a wave in 2021, and another in 2026. Some mistook the strength of the tide for personal greatness. That would be a dangerous mistake.

From now until 2031, the wise course is humanity, humility, and service. Stop the boorish behaviour. Stop the inflated egos. Stop acting like gods because crowds clap at rallies or because social media followers cheer every sentence spoken. The scrutiny has intensified now. Every action will be examined. Every attitude will be measured. Every act of arrogance will be remembered. And perhaps the greatest lesson of this election came directly from Prime Minister Davis himself.

Throughout the campaign, his temperament stood out. He was not combative. He was not cantankerous. He did not descend into the political sewer, despite every attempt by Michael Pintard and the Free National Movement to drag him there. He stayed measured. Calm. Focused. That steadiness is connected with the Bahamian people.

If every elected official adopted that same style, these next five years could very well be smooth sailing for the country.

The people have spoken. The election is over. Now comes the harder part — governing with humility, wisdom, and grace.