Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Phillip Davis said it is a special pleasure to attend occasions like the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Academy Graduation because it is a reminder that the future of the country is not built only in Parliament, or in boardrooms, or in policy papers.

“It is also built in classrooms. In training rooms. In sacrifice. In discipline. And in the quiet decision to prepare yourself to serve others,” the Prime Minister told graduates during the ceremony held at the Warwick Paradise Island Hotel on Friday, April 10, 2026.

The ceremony recognized the achievements of graduates from the Trained Clinical Nurses Cohort and the Medical Billing and Coding (Introductory) programs.

He said, “So to all of our graduands, let me say from the outset: congratulations. Today, we celebrate your hard work. We celebrate your perseverance. We celebrate your achievement.

“But just as importantly, we celebrate your willingness to step forward and answer a calling that matters deeply to this nation. Because healthcare is not just another profession.”

The Prime Minister said healthcare is service; healthcare is trust; healthcare is humanity in action and the graduates have chosen to be part of that work. “That is something to be proud of.”

He noted that stronger Bahamians are needed to build a stronger Bahamas.

“That means creating opportunity. It means opening doors. It means making sure that our people are not left on the outside looking in, but are equipped, empowered, and prepared to take their place in the development of this nation. That is why this moment matters.”

The Prime Minister said this is why the PHA Academy matters as it helps ordinary Bahamians gain the skills, the confidence, and the qualifications to contribute meaningfully to one of the most essential services in any country, and that is the care of its people.

“And that is nation-building.  Real nation-building.”

He noted that when his administration came to office, they knew that if they wanted to improve healthcare in The Bahamas, they could not think only about buildings, equipment, or expansion.

The Prime Minister added that healthcare is not defined only by infrastructure, but it is also defined by people.

“By the nurse who comforts an anxious patient.  By the technician who carries out their duties with care and precision.  By the support staff who keep services moving.  By the professionals who show up, day after day, and carry the system on their shoulders.”

He said the graduation ceremony is evidence of progress.

“It is evidence that we are building not only systems, but the people who will sustain them.”

The Prime Minister told the Graduands that what they have accomplished is significant and they should not diminish it nor take it lightly.

“You are entering work that will place you in some of the most vulnerable, most tender, and most consequential moments in the lives of others.

“You will meet people on difficult days.  You will encounter fear, uncertainty, pain, and urgency.  You will sometimes be the calm in someone else’s storm.

“That is not small work.  That is meaningful work.  That is honourable work.”

He also told the leadership, faculty, and staff of the PHA Academy that their work is important, because every person graduating reflects the time, the effort, the guidance, and the standards they have invested in them.

2026 Graduands
Trained Clinical Nurses, COHORT II

Gabrielle Cooper
Camille Cooper
Tanesha Emmanuel
Tina Forbes-Rasmussen
Georgia Laing
Renique Lynes
Ashley Major
Shantell Miller
Malika Moore
Alaxi Moss-Green
Wenderia Newry
Ashfornique Rolle
Ashley Russell
Debbie Simeon – Valedictorian of both Classes
Zaria Smith
Whitney Woodside

2026 Graduands
MEDICAL BILLING AND CODING

Elizabeth Beneby
Bernadette Bethel
Sandhya Cartwright
Vedalia Cash
Laclevia Colebrooke
Dionne Darville
Shanna Delancy
Denice Ferguson
Lachelle Ferguson-Armbrister
Devendo Fowler
Marsha Hanna
Janet Munroe
Cheryl Neely
Fenrika Rolle
Theresa Ford
Biancha Hall
Tatianna Black
Donal Coakley
Kenicka Collins
Ashley Martinborough
Na’Quale Rose
Venneca Smith
Brenell Storr

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