Criticising government for not “having the courage of their convictions,” Opposition leader Hubert Ingraham yesterday castigated the Christie administration for not openly standing by their decision to vote for Cuba as a member of the new United Nations Human Rights Council.
Mr Ingraham emphasised that in the FNM’s view Cuba does not meet the minimum human rights standards, adding that when his party regains the government it will downgrade the Bahamas Embassy in Cuba to a consular office.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell yesterday in parliament revealed that the Bahamas’ government had followed the advice of its Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Although he did not directly state that the Bahamas voted for Cuba during the May 9 vote at the UN’s General Assembly in New York , the minister tabled the recommendations by the Permanent Mission which showed that Cuba was one of the eight countries of the group of Latin American and Caribbean countries for which government was advised to vote.
Speaking with the press yesterday, the FNM leader condemned Mr Mitchell for tabling a document signed by Nicole Archer, junior officer of the Permanent Mission, instead of himself stating outright that the Bahamas voted for Cuba.
“They just can’t say it, don’t have the courage of their convictions. They are able to go up to the United Nations in our name, on our behalf, cast their vote but they are not men enough to stand up and say ‘yes we did it’ and say why.
“Civil servants give ministers all manner of advice, ministers must make the decision, once they make the decision they own that and they say ‘I decided this’; no matter who told me to do it or what advice they gave me, it is not for the minister to come to parliament and say ‘I got it from officer X or officer Y,” Mr Ingraham said.
In a press release issued late yesterday by the FNM, the Opposition said that it is amazed that Minister Mitchell chose to table the specific correspondence received from the Bahamas’ diplomatic mission exposing the name of a relatively junior career officer conveying the views of the diplomatic mission.
“Notably, the correspondence was not signed by the Bahamas Ambassador to the United Nations and notably, the advice of the Ministry’s senior policy advisers has not been shared,” the party said.
Mr Ingraham told the press yesterday his party sees this as a most inappropriate move on Mr Mitchell’s behalf.
“And I condemn him for putting her forward as the person who recommended it. It was decided by the Bahamas government, Perry Christie and his Cabinet, including Mr Mitchell,
By Karin Herig Tribune Staff Reporter
