Dear Editor,
I will get straight to the point, The Bahamas, our Bahamas and the United States of America, as I have stated previously, have a system of values common to both nations shared values-if you like, and what this means is that in both our “Representative Democracies”, governments’ officials act in their peoples name and by their authority. Therefore, I am completely baffled as to why a member of our Bahamian Parliament would be appalled (Bahama Journal Thursday October 10th 2002) when the American Ambassador J. Richard Blankenship does his job and lobbies the Bahamian Nation for its support relative to the United States’ position concerning Saddam Hussein’s Iraq Regime.
The Member of Parliament for Mount Moriah, although a freshman legislator, is a trained professional and, I believe has the appropriate knowledge as to how things work in a “Representative Democracy”. The American Ambassador has the right, upon instructions of the territory for which he speaks, to make the strongest request and to mount the most vigorous and intensive lobby for our Bahamian support, just as our Bahamian Ambassadors could, without interdictory initiatives or comment, lobby Americans and their Congress on behalf of Bahamian Government’s initiatives.
American Ambassador J. Richard Blankenship’s recent address, should be taken seriously when he spoke of the history and current affairs of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi Government and the world-including our Bahamas-should essentially be concerned, and make its position perfectly clear. This is no time for our Bahamas to vacillate in the face of world affairs. Terrorists and nations that give them support can never be trusted. And, if I am reading the New Progressive Liberal Party Government’s point-man on Foreign Affairs, Minister, Fred Mitchell, correctly, we will not do that. In recent published statement, Minister Mitchell clearly indicated that we (The Bahamas) will not slink to the sidelines on this, but support decisions of The United Nations relative to any action it proposes to take or takes concerning Saddam Hussein and his Iraqi regime.
I am not at all astonished at Minister Mitchell’s sober and deliberatively non-inflammatory remarks concerning The United States of America and the Saddam Hussein-Iraqi issues that, at the moment, consume international affairs world-wide. This bright spot in the new Christie-led Administration is very likely to off-set rumblings of discontent that are beginning to make their presence felt on the political/administrative horizons. J. Richard Blankenship and Minister Mitchell seem to have established a position of mutual respect and professionalism in relations enjoyed by each territory (United States of America) and (The Commonwealth of the Bahamas) to the other. May God continue to Bless The Bahamas and The United States of America.
Harry W. Hall
