The (Bahamas) government has warned that it would not be in the best interests of communities in South Florida to adversely affect the economy of the Bahamas. It said it was confident that “wiser counsel” would prevail.
A statement was issued last night after two American Congress members threatened to push for economic sanctions unless two Cuban doctors in the detention centre are released to the US.
Congress members Connie Mack IV and Ileana RosLehtinen made their threats at a news conference in South Florida.
“With respect to the question of boycotts and other forms of economic pressure on the Bahamas, wiser counsel would suggest that it is lot in the best interest of the communities in South Florida to adversely affect and impact the economy of the Bahamas, having regard to the mutually important bilateral relationship between us,” the statement said.
“The Bahamas government is satisfied that wiser counsel will prevail,” it added.
The Bahamas, it said, appreciated the concern of the Congress members and valued the continued good relations between the country and Florida, in addition to the long-standing close and warm relationship between the Bahamas and the United States.
“The Bahamas reaffirms its commitment to the good relations we now enjoy with the United States and all our other neighbours. The Bahamas, however, cannot be drawn into the rhetorical war of words between members of the legislative branch in the United States and the Cuban government on migration issues, which arise between certain communities in the US and Cuba,” it said.
The statement said the US government had approached the Bahamas government with regard to the dentists, who are Cuban nationals.
The US had a “fair, accurate and true position” on the question of those individuals, who were now detained in the. Bahamas for illegal migration.
“The interests of the United States arose because individuals related to these two detainees are resident in the United States of America. Citizens of Cuba are subject to a migration accord between Tile Bahamas and Cuba, which is an agreement between two sovereign nations.
“The Cuban government has therefore been contacted with regard to their citizens. That migration accord is, of course, subject to international law,” the government said.
An application. now stands from the two individuals with respect to their status in the Bahamas
Pursuant to their request, the government said their status is subject to a review and the Bahamas government had made clear its intention to resolve this matter in “as timely a fashion as exigencies permit.”
The Tribune – Nassau, Bahamas
