Biography

The Hon. Philip Edward “Brave” Davis became the Fifth Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas following the general election of September 16, 2021.

Mr. Davis was born June 7, 1951, to Brave Edward Davis of Old Bight, Cat Island and Dorothy Davis (nee Smith) of Alexander, Exuma.

He received his early education at the Eastern Prep School, Eastern Jr. School and St. John’s College. Upon graduating from St. John’s at the age of 16 with six GCE ‘O’ Levels, he was employed as a construction worker. Later, Mr. Davis secured employment at Barclay’s Bank before resigning to pursue a career as an articled clerk with Wallace-Whitfield and Barnwell. Mr. Davis was called to the Bar of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on March 5, 1975.

Mr. Davis was first elected the Member of Parliament for the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador Constituency in 1992.  He was defeated at the polls in the 1997 General Election by the Free National Movement candidate James H. Miller. However, in the 2002 General Election, Mr. Davis defeated Mr. Miller to return to Parliament as the representative for the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador Constituency. He continued as the representative of that constituency following wins in the 2007, 2012, 2017 and the 2021 General Elections.

Following the general election of 2017, Mr. Davis was sworn in as Leader of the then Opposition.

On September 17, 2021, Mr. Davis was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and on September 18, 2021 the Governor-General presented him with his instruments of appointment to the Office of Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Prime Minister Davis is also the Minister of Finance.

Up to his appointment as Prime Minister, Mr. Davis was a practicing attorney-at-law in the law firm of Davis and Co. He is a former partner in the law firm of Christie, Davis and Co. and he has served as president and vice-president of the Bahamas Bar Association. He has sat on the Council of Legal Education and its Executive Committee as well as the Academic Committee of the Norman Manley Law School, Jamaica.  He has served as a chairman of the National Insurance Board and as a Magistrate in The Bahamas court system.

An Anglican, Mr. Davis has served as a member of St. Christopher’s Anglican Church Vestry Board and also as the Parish’s Synod representative.

He is the father of six and is married to the former Ann Marie Austin. His hobbies include swimming, softball, jogging and reading.

His ministerial portfolio includes:

• Government Finance and Borrowings
• Revenue
• Treasury Department
• Customs Department
• Department of Inland Revenue
• Budgeting & Planning
• Central Bank of The Bahamas
• Bahamas Development Bank
• Banks and Trust Companies
• Post Office Savings Bank
• Auctions
• Treasure Trove
• Wrecks
• Business Licenses and Valuations
• Guarantee Loans (Tourism Development)
• First-Time Homeowners Tax
• Exemption Programme
• Bank of The Bahamas
• Public Procurement
• Relations with Multilateral Financial Institutions
• Administration of Tax Information
• Exchange Agreements
• Relations with the Securities Commission

October,2024