The Free National Movement, in a press release issued yesterday, stated that the PLP government made two postings of Bahamian diplomats “ahead of time,” to the expense and cost of “taxpayers.”
Slamming the government for its recent appointment of two ambassadors in Beijing and Havana, the FNM stated that the decision was too rushed and could have been done with more time consideration.
The press release disclosed,” It is difficult to understand why the PLP felt it necessary to rush these two appointments ahead of schedule. The relationship between China and The Bahamas has evolved over the three years and an excellent level of co-operation exists between our states.”
It also mentioned that a Bahamian consular office in Hong Kong, has been present for more than six years now and that an ambassador from China has been resident in The Bahamas since the previous Ingraham administration.
The FNM also added that The Bahamas has had a long-standing non-resident ambassador to Cuba and stated that a Cuban Ambassador is now resident in Nassau.
“The rushed postings do not appear to be the result of normal relations between states; rather they smell of personal agendas,” the statement said.
The party also noted that they are amazed that considering the recent increasing number of Bahamian students studying in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, the government has not yet named senior career diplomats to be posted in such countries.
The FNM further accused the present Christie administration of “not behaving like a sovereign government acting in the best interest of its people.”
The statement further expressed that the party feels that the current Foreign Affairs ministry is out of the control of the prime minister, considering the recent decisions made on the developments of Haiti, membership in the CSME, trade with India and China and many other prevalent foreign policy issues.
By: VIRAJ PERPALL, The Nassau Guardian
