NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept 2, CMC -Prime Minister Phillip Davis Tuesday remembered those who died as well as survived the passage of Hurricane Dorian in 2019, saying the category 5 storm had “swept through our islands with a force unmatched in our lifetime.
“It left behind grief, destruction, and memories that continue to weigh on our hearts. We pause today to remember those whose lives were taken. Mothers and fathers. Sons and daughters. Grandparents and children. Families that were never able to come back together again.
“Their names, their faces, and their stories remain with us, carried in the hearts of loved ones and in the collective memory of our nation,” Davis said during the “moment of silence” as Bahamians remembered the passage of Dorian on September 1, 2019.
He told the ceremony that many lived through days of fear and uncertainty, clinging to rooftops, wading through rising waters, searching desperately for missing relatives, while enduring “the unimaginable and then faced the challenge of starting again with little left to call their own.
“Their courage is a reminder that even in the most difficult of moments, the Bahamian spirit refuses to bend. We remember those who rose to help. First responders who risked their own safety to save lives. Volunteers who gave without hesitation. Doctors, nurses, and aid workers who treated the injured and comforted the grieving. Neighbours who took in neighbours. Strangers who became family. These acts of bravery and generosity stand as lasting proof of who we are as a people.”
Davis said that this is also the time to remember the children, who lost parents, who lost their schools, who had their childhood interrupted in the most painful way.
“Their futures depend on our willingness to walk with them, to lift them up, and to offer them hope. As we gather here, we must also think about what Dorian taught us.”
He said the storm revealed how vulnerable small island nations are to the changing climate. “Stronger storms, rising seas, and shifting weather patterns are now part of our reality. Preparation is not a choice. Resilience is a responsibility. We must continue to build stronger homes, protect our environment, and ensure that no island or settlement is left behind.”
Prime Minister Davis said that this day of remembrance is not only about the past.
“It is about what we carry forward. The lessons we learned, the promises we must keep, and the duty we have to protect future generations. In the silence we observe together, let us commit to being a country that cares for the weak, that remembers its fallen, and that works together to face the storms ahead.
“To the families who still mourn, know that you are not alone. This nation stands with you. To those who continue to rebuild their lives, know that your determination inspires us all. To every Bahamian, let us hold tight to the values that carried us through—compassion, unity, and strength,” Prime Minister Davis said.
The Category 5 storm made landfall in the northern Bahamas, bringing sustained winds of 185 miles per hour (mph) and a storm surge of up to 23 feet. It stalled over the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama, unleashing days of catastrophic damage before turning toward the southeastern United States.
The powerful storm caused catastrophic destruction, widespread flooding, and at least 74 direct deaths in the country.
The economic damage from Dorian was the costliest in Bahamian history, estimated at US$3.4 billion.
CMC/ah/ir/2025