BY: Latonya Roberts
Journal Staff Writer

Global statistics show that men make up 75% of all convictions, including
violent crimes like killing. While at the “EmpowerMEN Forum” hosted by the
Small Business Development Centre, Prime Minister Philip Davis said that he
refuses to accept a narrative that the upcoming generation of men are too far
gone.
On Tuesday the Prime Minister said that most problems today stem from lack of
love, attention, and opportunity.
“But the work does not rest on one man or one program. It rests on all of us.
When we see young men faltering, it is not their failure alone. It is ours. It is a
mirror held up to our society, asking us whether we will look away or confront
what is broken. And let me tell you, the trends we see are not destiny they are
the result of neglect, disconnection, and an unwillingness to do what is difficult
but necessary.”
Speaking from personal experience, Prime Minister Davis said he empathizes
with those that had hard times growing up. “Growing up barefoot on the rugged
roads of Cat Island, I learned quickly that the world offers no kindness to those
who have nothing. But I also learned that there is a fire within us, lit by faith
and determination, that no hardship can extinguish. I know why this fight is
personal. It’s personal because I know what it is to feel the weight of the world
pressing down on you,” he said.
“To wonder if there is a future waiting beyond the horizon… I have walked that
road, and I carry its dust with me even now. This is personal because I know the
difference it makes when someone reaches out, when someone believes in you
enough to say, “You matter. You can rise.”
Despite what statistic say, the Prime Minister believes there is room for growth
and change.
“I have seen the statistics; I know the odds. But statistics cannot capture the
quiet pain of a boy left behind. They cannot tell the story of a young man who
could have been great if only someone had believed in him. And they cannot
silence the voice within me that says, “Do something. Change this.” This is a

mission, one to ensure that no boy grows up believing that his circumstances
define him. A mission to remind every young man that his worth is not
measured by where he starts, but by the courage he shows in rising above.”
Prime Minister Philip Davis concluded his speech by encouraging the older
generation to lead by example, giving younger men and even troubled youth a
chance to do better and be better. Following the forum, later that evening a
“Men of Our nation” night of prayer took place at Rawson Square.