The Bahamas will take a practical approach in its foreign relations in 2006 and will not become involved with ideological disputes among its neighbours, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell.
Addressing Ministry officials, Mr. Mitchell noted that their ability to engage in the art of diplomacy would be called upon to help the country “wade through these treacherous and difficult ideological and geographical waters”.
“It is clear that we face an ever more complex geo-political environment,” Mr. Mitchell said during the Ministry’s annual Christmas service held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Friday.
He added, “Our citizens are unhappy about our relations with CARICOM. We have the United States on the one hand whose policies are not often transparent or clear, but who dominate the political thinking in the country. The US is generally a force for good and they remain our closest partner, but on the other side of our country is Cuba.”
Stating that The Bahamas does not interfere in the affairs of other countries, the Minister said the ideological dispute between the United States and Cuba is not the concern of this country.
He said The Bahamas supports the principle of sovereign integrity and the right of self-determination.
The Minister pointed out that from The Bahamas’ perspective these principles apply equally to Cuba as to other nations.
“Our role is to live at peace with all of our nations in this hemisphere,” he said.
“We do not have the luxury of being in a position to lecture others on how they ought to conduct their national lives. Our foreign policy then is ofDarrin Culmer necessity a practical one, and we do not and will not engage in any high profile fights amongst neighbours, which are simply none of our business.”
According to Minister Mitchell, efforts remain on schedule for the Government of The Bahamas to open two embassies in 2006, one in Cuba and the other in China.
The Ministry also expects to announce the appointment of an ambassador to China in the near future, he said.
“The point I wish to make then as we review the accomplishments over the past year is that change is a constant thing and no organisation can hope to survive without change,” he said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service added, “The people of this country have changed in the generation that has passed since we became an independent country-. There are greater and larger demands and the demands are more sophisticated. Those of us who call ourselves public servants will have to make extraordinary efforts to keep up with the demands of our country.”
Recounting some of the major events and activities which kept Ministry personnel occupied in 2005, Mr. Mitchell pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs played an important role in overtures made by government in response to the recent Chalk’s Ocean Airways tragedy and three devastating hurricanes which disrupted lives in the northern Bahamas.
He noted, however, that the Ministry did not escape its share of controversy this year.
“We too have had our moments in the spotlight as a Ministry, where the Ministry itself became the focus as opposed to our mission and role. Some people were bothered by it, but you will have these moments and one must be philosophical about it. That is life,” he said.
By: Darrin Culmer, The Bahama Journal
