The PLP Record: Always Standing With the Small Man

January in The Bahamas is more than a new month — it is a reminder of who we are. It marks the victory of Majority Rule in 1967, when ordinary Bahamians finally gained the right to govern their own destiny. That victory was never about elite power; it was about the dock worker, the maid, the fisherman, the teacher, the vendor, and the family struggling to get ahead.

That spirit lives on today in the Progressive Liberal Party.

From the first day this PLP government took office, its focus has been clear: protect working Bahamians, expand opportunity, and make life more affordable for the people who carry this country on their backs.

This is not talk. It is a record.

Despite inheriting one of the most battered economies in modern Bahamian history — after VAT was raised to 12%, after hurricanes caused $7.7 billion in damage, and after COVID delivered another $9.5 billion shock — this government refused to balance the books on the backs of ordinary people.

Instead, the PLP did the opposite.

They cut VAT from 12% to 10%, and now food VAT is being cut again, from 5% to zero on essential groceries. That means bread, rice, baby food, vegetables, frozen foods, and lunch snacks are now VAT-free. That is real money staying in Bahamian pockets every single week.

They raised the minimum wage.

They paid out millions in back pay and stipends to nurses, teachers, and public servants who had been left unpaid.

They signed more than sixty labour agreements — delivering salary increases, promotions, and improved working conditions across the public sector.

They hired thousands of Bahamians, expanding the public workforce at a time when families desperately needed stability.

This is what governing for the small man looks like.

And while helping workers today, the PLP was also preparing Bahamians for tomorrow.

Over 11,000 people are enrolled in Upskill Bahamas, receiving free online training from top global institutions in fields like cybersecurity, business, technology, and entrepreneurship.

The government expanded BTVI and launched the National Apprenticeship Programme to enable young people to earn while they learn in high-demand trades.

The National Youth Guard was created, giving hundreds of young Bahamians job skills, discipline, and income.

For the first time, Bahamian artists and creatives now have legal protection for their intellectual property, ensuring they can earn from their creations.

Free training is being offered in agriculture, marine science, nursing, hospitality, emergency medicine, digital skills, and the performing arts.

This is a government that believes talent exists in every neighbourhood — not just a few.

The PLP also understands that you cannot build opportunity without infrastructure.

Fourteen airports have been built or expanded. Roads, docks, clinics, and two new hospitals are underway. Energy reform is finally modernizing an electric grid older than Independence. New solar plants and hybrid microgrids are coming online, cutting fuel costs, reducing outages, and lowering power bills.

For the first time in living memory, New Providence had a summer with no load shedding.

That matters to small businesses. That matters to families. That matters to everyone.

Land reform is another quiet revolution. Hundreds of families who waited generations now hold legal title to land in Moore’s Island, Fox Hill, Bozine Town, Marsh Harbour, and beyond. That means people can finally borrow, build, and improve their homes and pass something tangible to their children.

And in healthcare, the PLP has lifted a crushing burden. Through the National Prescription Drug Plan, 44,000 Bahamians already receive free medicine — and soon up to 160,000 will qualify. Coverage has expanded from 72 drugs to 142. The Catastrophic Health Care Fund has saved lives and spared families from financial ruin.

Housing is being tackled too. Hundreds of affordable homes have already been built or are under construction, and the government is now partnering with private developers to scale construction across multiple islands. Property tax relief has been expanded to help more Bahamians own and keep their homes.

On food and cost of living, the government is attacking the problem from every angle. Customs duties were reduced on many food items. Price controls were expanded. Inspectors were hired to stop price gouging. Local farming is being boosted through BAMSI, hydroponics, buy-back programmes, and grants to farmers and fishers. Trade routes are diversifying, so we are no longer at the mercy of intermediaries or global disruptions.

The School Breakfast Programme has already delivered more than 1.4 million hot meals, ensuring children can learn and parents can save.

These are not random policies. They form a consistent philosophy: protect the vulnerable, strengthen workers, expand opportunity, and lower the cost of living.

Even the international community sees it. The Bahamas has moved from downgrade to upgrade. We are off the blacklist. More than $10 billion in new investment has been secured. Our financial system is stable. Our currency is strong.

And yet, the PLP still chose to raise wages, cut taxes on food, pay arrears, sign labour contracts, and expand social protection.

That tells you everything.

This government did not forget who put them in office.

The PLP has always been the party of the small man — and in one of the hardest periods in modern Bahamian history, they proved it again.