Bermuda has nothing to fear from cutting links with Britain and becoming an independent state, according to a visiting politician.

Philip “Brave” Davis, the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, is on island as a guest of the Progressive Labour Party, which opened its annual delegates conference last night.

The Bahamas will be celebrating 50 years of independence from Britain next year.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette, he said that colonisation could inhibit territories and individuals from reaching their full potential.

Mr Davis, whose Progressive Liberal Party was elected into office last year with a massive majority, said: “We are in charge of our destiny. The will of the Bahamian people is carried out through an elected government in a situation where we’re not colonised.

“It is for the community to decide whether they wish to have their own independent country so that the will of the people cannot be sorted by others.

“I think there’s a universal right for a person to determine his or her own destiny both individually and collectively, not influenced by any outside influences.

“There are some mental and sociological issues that can arise when one is not free. Colonisation can also have various subtle, intangible impact on one's psyche that no doubt inhibits the full potential of people who find themselves in that situation.”

Asked what his message was to independence doubters, Mr Davis said: “There's nothing to fear.

“Bermuda would still be part of a larger world. They will not be alone – they will still have friends and the whole world they can depend on because no country can go it alone in the world today. Even if they have independence, they still have the support of the world community.“

Mr Davis said that he was keen to forge closer ties with Bermuda in an attempt to boost the economies of both islands. Like Bermuda, international business and tourism are the main sources of revenue for the Bahamas.

He said: “Coming together is about being able to share experiences and ideas and assisting each other in improving and adding value to the pillars of the economy.

“I don't see it as a competition, I see it as a case of identifying our strengths and weaknesses and helping each other where we can to enhance our products.

“I think there's enough out there for all of us and it's just what we can do to help each other attract the businesses that we desire — the right kind of people to our communities to help grow our communities and economies.

At the opening of the Progressive Labour Party’s delegate’s conference last night, Mr Davis revealed that the Bahamas will appoint an honorary consul to Bermuda.

Mr Davis told delegates: “This person will assist Bahamian nationals and businesses in Bermuda and pursue mutual opportunities for growth and development, which would be of mutual benefit to both countries.”

Mr Davis added that both island nations needed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on issues such as climate change.

“Rising sea levels pose an existential threat for island countries like ours,” he said. “Our voices must be locked together in the fight for climate justice.”

Mr Davis noted that Bermuda’s Progressive Labour Party and his own Progressive Liberal Party were historically linked and had gone through the similar struggles over the decades.

“Each of us had our fair share of systems of oppression, and the battle lines drawn up against our progressive movement continued to persist,” he said.

“After years of protest in the fight for greater equality, slowly but surely, things began to change.”

Mr Davis urged the members of both parties to remain true to their respective mandates and committed to the betterment of the people, warning them to be careful not to “adopt the attitudes of our opponents”.

“Together, we are stronger. Together, you are stronger,” he said.

“Your promise to rebuild Bermuda with Bermudians at heart has a strong overlay with our promise to deliver a new day.

“Central to this is the determination to exercise competent and compassionate leadership for all.

“Our shared focus on economic justice and expert responses to the climate emergency reflect our commitment to ensure that ordinary citizens are not left behind in this rapidly changing world.”

Mr Davis said that the founders of both parties would be happy to see their continued success.

“We are the heirs and successors to a vision — their vision — a vision that has culminated in our two great political movements holding the trust and confidence of our respective peoples to lead them towards a brighter future,” he said.