Speech from the Throne

Governor-General Sir Cornelius A Smith reads the Speech from the Throne on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at Baha Mar’s Convention Centre.

A speech from the throne (or throne speech) is an event in in which the reigning sovereign, or a representative thereof, reads a prepared speech to members of the nation’s legislature when a session is opened, outlining the government’s agenda and focus for the forthcoming session; or—in some cases—closed. When a session is opened, the address sets forth the government’s priorities with respect to its legislative agenda, for which the cooperation of the legislature is sought. The speech is often accompanied with formal ceremony and is often held annually, although in some places it may occur more or less frequently, whenever a new session of the legislature is opened (Source: Wikipedia).

Here is the full speech:

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

Just twenty days ago, my Government was elected with a mandate to bring about a “New Day” in our Bahamas. It is clear from the results of the election that Bahamians demand transformational change.

My Government comes into governance with our country in the midst of mismanaged health and economic crises.

My Government is committed to work in partnership with other nations, with our local communities and, most importantly, with the Bahamian people to address the challenges that these crises pose.
Today My Government proposes our “Blue Print for Change”.

My Government will consult and be inclusive in our decision-making.

As a first priority, my Government will, therefore, introduce legislation and policies to fully address future major health risks to avoid the need for Emergency Orders.

My Government is committed to executing good governance, established on the principles of Transparency, Integrity & Accountability.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government fully understands that we cannot resolve our country’s economic crisis until we have resolved the health crisis. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed many of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of our healthcare system.

My Government will make investments in healthcare infrastructure throughout The Bahamas and ensure that Family Island clinics are properly equipped, inclusive of the capacity for telemedicine.

My Government will build new hospitals in New Providence and Grand Bahama through public-private partnerships.

My Government will prioritize public health and wellness initiatives and will move aggressively to introduce catastrophic healthcare insurance to make healthcare more affordable, and to address the mental health issues in our country.

My Government also recognizes, applauds, and expresses its gratitude to the doctors, nurses, other frontline workers and volunteers for their meritorious and selfless service during this pandemic.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

The present economic crisis has left a trail of unprecedented misery among the Bahamian people and our public finances in a dismal state.

Despite this bleak outlook, my Government will introduce measures that will bring immediate relief to the Bahamian people and to businesses.

My Government will amend the VAT Act to lower the rate of VAT across the board to 10 percent.

Madame President and Honourable Senators,

Madame Speaker and Members of the Honourable House of Assembly:

My Government will focus on issues that will rescue, restore, and strengthen the economy.

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