NASSAU, Bahamas — Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Phillip Davis said the 2025 Global School Health Survey revealed that one in five Bahamian students between the ages of 13 and 18 has attempted suicide.
“One in five. That number is staggering and heartbreaking,” the Prime Minister said during the signing of the Framework Agreement between Governments of The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China for the New Providence Specialty Hospital held at the Office of The Prime Minister on Friday, July 11, 2025.
He said, “There is no single cause, but we know the pressures are real: the expectations, the silence, the bullying, the economic strain at home, and the ever-growing influence of social media.”
The Prime Minister explained that the images, the comparisons, the pressure to be perfect is too much. “Our children are carrying burdens many of us cannot see, and in some cases, cannot even begin to understand.”
He said, “This is not just a health issue. This is a moral issue. This is a national issue. It is a call to action for the government, for parents, for teachers, for churches, for communities.”
The Prime Minister said the Government took a major step forward in 2022 with the passage of the new Mental Health Act, the first meaningful reform to the nation’s mental health legislation in nearly 60 years. “We did not just pass a law; we laid the foundation for a new era in how we support those who are struggling.”
He added, “We have begun training more professionals — doctors, nurses, and community health workers — and we are training our guidance counsellors and educational officers to recognize the signs, to intervene early, and provide support that works.
“But legislation alone is not enough. Training alone is not enough.
“We also have to change how we show up in the lives of our children.”
The Prime Minister explained that a tablet cannot take the place of a conversation. An iPad cannot substitute for quality time, and the pressure children face from the constant pull of social media — the comparisons, the online cruelty, the need to be liked, followed, validated — is harming them. “And we have to do more to shield them.”
He said, “As a country, we cannot afford to lose our children to silence. We cannot allow pain to hide in plain sight. Every life matters. Every voice deserves to be heard. Every young person deserves to know they are not alone.”
The Prime Minister said that in addition to building up the physical infrastructure, he wants the nation to commit to building an emotional and social infrastructure, strengthening the systems of care and compassion that will help every Bahamian, especially the youth, to live with dignity, purpose, and hope.
He added, “To our partners in the People’s Republic of China, I thank you for standing with us in our pursuit of a healthier Bahamas. To the Bahamian people, I want you to know that we see the need, we feel the urgency, and we are acting.
“The work continues. And we will see it through together.”
