Former Free National Movement Cabinet Minister Algernon Allen has urged Bahamians to take care that anti-American sentiments are not allowed to develop a growth in this country that is detrimental to “our national interest.”
A special guest on the Love 97 programme “Jones and Company” this past Sunday, Mr. Allen although admittedly not in approval of some of the “adventures” made by the United States into other countries, pointed out that we are tied to our great neighbor in the north in many fundamental ways.
The lively, much-listened to show delved into a number of topical issues such as the fiscal problems that beset the nation at this time, gambling and the style of Prime Minister Perry Christie. However when host Wendall Jones introduced for discussion, the United States ‘ war-like attitude towards Iraq and all of the worldwide connecting circumstances, the show took on a much higher level of intensity. Also on “Jones and Company” Sunday, was educator-activist Felix Bethel.
“Gentlemen, the United States and Great Britain have teamed up to declare war on Saddam Hussein (you might as well say). They have sought resolutions at the United Nations wanting war if the inspectors are not allowed to have their way in Iraq . The Bahamas took a position supporting the United Nations, saying that we would go along with the United Nations resolution and not with the wishes of the United States of America .
“Of course you know that the American ambassador in the Bahamas , J. Richard Blankenship made a speech appealing to the Bahamas Government to support the United States of America . Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell says the Bahamas will support the United Nations,” led host Jones.
He then posed the question as to whether “given our proximity to the United States and given our friendship with the United States ” if Minister Mitchell took the correct course and position.
Mr. Bethel said that the minister is “absolutely correct.” He pointed also that the United States face a “new twist” in that they now have to deal with the admission of North Korean to having developed a nuclear programme. He expressed the opinion that confronted with the new developments, the United States will stand down from its adamant stance and Iraq won’t be attacked at all.
Host Jones however wanted more of a discussion as the issue pertains to the Bahamas . He wondered if a small nation like The Bahamas mattered much in the general scheme of things in terms of supporting the United States or not being supportive.
Mr. Allen while acknowledging that nothing was wrong with having a discussion at a national level on issues that affect the Bahamas insofar as they involve international relationships, emphasized that there is a much bigger picture in our case.
“The Bahamas is inextricably bound, wrapped up and locked down within American influence. The interest of the Bahamas to a large extent is not divisible from that of the United States. Our security interest, the economic interest, and the protection of democracy (are bound to the United States).
“I am one of those who are of the view that when it comes to our great friend and ally, the United States of America , that we must not tread only carefully, but we must be very cognizant of the importance of that strategic, economic and security relationship which we enjoy. This has endured to the benefit of this nation and has caused the Bahamas to have enjoyed the level of prosperity over the many years and the level of security over the many years and therefore if from time to time, our friend asks us to do something, we should weigh that against our interest. How do we do that?
“When someone has been such a benefactor to this nation whereby we have enjoyed such a relationship then we must be very careful how we reject what they ask,” stressed the former government minister.
Mr. Jones asked what “if the neighbor is dead wrong and is treading on dangerous grounds and as Harry Belefonte said the other night if you are doing something outside of the wishes of the family of nations and you are doing something that would imperil humanity, why should the Bahamas kowtow or toe the line and say since we have been good neighbors and we depend on the economy of the United States, why should we go along with that.”
Mr. Allen responded that the Bahamas should examine very carefully the country’s position in the light of the request that was made.
“My concern is this. At the end of the day as we pursue our very sensibly-heightened and ambitious foreign agenda, let us not create such areas of discomfort within our own world. I emphasize this idea of caution because I believe there is a delicate balance that we have to achieve in this nation. In this critical time in our national development, we must ensure that we keep our strengths all gathered together,” said Mr. Allen.
Host Jones’ rejoinder was that the United States of America cannot have it both ways.
“They cannot support dictatorships around the world when it is in their interest. And when it is not in their interest, ask (you) to support them in declaring war against that person whom they don’t like,” said Mr. Jones.
He advocated that the Bahamas must operate in its own interest as a sovereign country in the West.
Mr. Allen pushed his point however.
“We are talking about the foreign policy of a small nation, the Bahamas . We are not talking about whether this is a matter of political football, where people have a vote one way or the other. This is much more critical than that and it cannot be left to be a political football. We must approach our foreign affairs with a degree of caution that is commensurate with our relationships and the most important relationship which we have in this world, namely that in the United States of America .
“I say also this. It is incumbent upon us, those of us who lead across the board, that whatever differences we might have with Blankenship or whatever ship, that at the end of the day that we do not cause an “anti-Americanism” to build up among people in the Bahamas that it be to the detriment of the national interest of this country. And I speak as a patriot, one who has always talked about One Bahamas and I don’t speak as someone who comes from an FNM podium to talk about what is right in the Bahamas ‘ foreign relationship,” Mr. Allen stated.
Addressing the state of the economy, Mr. Allen said “we are in the throes of an economic pie in the Bahamas . We must shift focus to investment. We must bring into the mix social partners and we must have a new appreciation for the Bahamas on a family basis and a community basis. There must be leaders across the board building a new Bahamas .”
On Prime Minister Christie, he said, “Mr. Christie has an opportunity to rise like cream to show that he has what it takes to turn this country around.
On gambling, he said he did not see anything wrong with Bahamians being able to wager but that the Prime Minister must go to the people before such legislation is enacted because he (the Prime Minister) promised that he would first go to the people.
By Fred Sturrup, The Bahama Journal
