The Hon. Obadiah Hercules Wilchcombe, Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, during a long political career, served most recently in the Davis administration as Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, and as of September 2023 as Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting. In the current administration, he also served as Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly.

Known for tireless commitment to the growth and development of The Bahamas, Minister Wilchcombe passed away while in office, at the age of 64 years, on September 25, 2023 in Grand Bahama; the nation was saddened by the loss.

A seasoned politician, Minister Wilchcombe served as Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party, Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister, and Senator. He was also a highly-respected Career Journalist having worked 25 years with the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas.

Born November 14, 1958 in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Minister Wilchcombe was the third child and second son of Jackson (deceased) and Mary (deceased) Wilchcombe. He received his early education at Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic School in Freeport and at Queen’s College in Nassau.

Following his graduation from Queen’s College in 1975, he became the youngest person, at the age of 16, to be employed at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas as a reporter. He then went on to study at the University of the West Indies – Mona Campus in Kingston, Jamaica after receiving an in-service award to attend the Caribbean Institute of Mass Communications (CARIMAC) in 1982.

After his return to The Bahamas and the Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Wilchcombe was promoted in 1985 to Deputy Director of News and in 1987 he was appointed News Director. In 1990, he was promoted to the position of Assistant General Manager.

During his tenure with the Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Wilchcombe was assigned to cover then Prime Minister, the late Rt. Hon. Sir Lynden Pindling. He also covered a number of major events including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) in Vancouver, Canada, Malaysia and Zimbabwe, the CARICOM heads of Government Conferences in St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and The Bahamas.

He won a national award while with the Corporation for writing and producing the television documentary “Base Streets.” The programme illuminated the impact of cocaine on Bahamian society.

In 1989 he was appointed to lead the team responsible for the introduction of ZNS television to Grand Bahama.

From April 1999 to October 2000, Mr. Wilchcombe hosted the two-hour talk show “The Bahamas Today” that focused on the political, economic and social issues of the country on More FM Radio. When his professional ethics were challenged, Mr. Wilchcombe accepted four days in her Majesty’s Prison. He refused to reveal where he received a letter that was passed to him from a condemned inmate who, on the same evening that the letter was received, committed suicide.

During his tenure as Minister of Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism set record-breaking tourism arrival figures. He introduced new airlift services. Two of the top three films of 2006 were shot in The Bahamas due to the policy of film industry development.

Minister Wilchcombe is credited with introducing several tourism niches to the country, including Sports, Religious and African American tourism; and through his efforts, The Bahamas gained favoured nation status from China to advance tourism for the Chinese country.

He was named the Caribbean’s Leading Travel Personality in 2015, an honour bestowed by World Travel Awards (WTA) to acknowledge his significant contributions to the travel and tourism industry that year, and his positive impact on the industry over the course of a lifetime.

An avid sportsman, Mr. Wilchcombe was a former president of the Grand Bahama Basketball Association, and the Commonwealth American Football League (CFAL).

Mr. Wilchcombe is survived by four children: Sherrard, Obie-Cheryl Peta, Adia and Alisa.

Social Services, Information and Broadcasting Portfolio

Social Services

Social Development

Child Protection

Persons with Disabilities

Public Assistance and Social Welfare

Old Age Pensions

Indigent and Aged Persons

Care Facilities

Rehabilitative Service (Department of Rehabilitative Services)

The Simpson Penn Centre for Boys

The Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls

Bahamas Information Services

The Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (ZNS)

Political Career

Appointed to the Senate (August 1994 - PLP) by Prime Minister, the late Rt. Hon. Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling

Elected Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (1995)

Contested the Marco City seat (PLP); was unsuccessful (March 1997)

Reappointed to the Senate (1997 – PLP) by Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie

Contested the Bimini and West End seat (PLP); won (May 2002)

Sworn in as Minister of Tourism, with responsibility for the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas and Bahamas Information Services (May 2nd, 2002)

Contested the Bimini and West End seat (PLP); won (May 2nd, 2007)

Contested the Bimini and West End seat (PLP); won (May 7th, 2012)

Contested the Bimini and West End seat (PLP); lost (May 10th, 2017)

Contested the Bimini and West End seat (PLP); won (September 16th, 2021 [snap election])

Sworn in as Minister of Social Services and Urban Development (September 22nd, 2021)