THE FNM TROLLS WRONG ABOUT DUBAI
Prime Minister Philip Davis and Mrs. Davis leave for Dubai 14 January 2022
For almost ten years now, the Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell has been beating the bushes about an outreach to Dubai and to the wider Middle East. When he was Foreign Minister in the period 2012 to 2017, he announced an outreach to the Middle East with three specific countries in mind. They were United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The first two were concluded with diplomatic relations established with those countries. However, the PLP lost office before the conclusion of an agreement with Saudi Arabia. This is now being negotiated.
When the announcement was made about the Middle East, the reason given was that The Bahamas was in search of capital and given the surplus capital in the Middle East this would be a benefit for The Bahamas. The outreach would be to countries that had excellent relations with the United States.
The PLP agreed and did appoint Ambassador Tony Joudi to represent us in Qatar and in United Arab Emirates. He has done an excellent job at it.
We are now at the point where we have a full representation in Dubai at the World Expo. This is something which both the Free National Movement and the Progressive Liberal Party committed themselves to do. The Prime Minister Philip Davis in fulfillment of that commitment is now in Dubai to represent our country at our National Day which is 17 January 2022.
There will be a contingent from the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band and there will be a presentation of the cultural community including a singing group Shaback. The country is well served in this. Thus far some 400,000 people have visited The Bahamas pavilion.
Meanwhile, the FNM trolls and these who are simply grudgeful have been trying to make mincemeat about this trip as if this is some great vacation. The Ministry of Tourism is supporting it because it will help to establish a beach head in tourism in this part of the world. This is work not a vacation.
It is sad to see things descend into this. But also it is important for the PLP and the government not to react in a defensive way about this. We do not have to promise to reveal any costs in this matter. This is a sound investment. Both parties support it and that is the end of the matter.
It is simply in the best interests of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and that is what the PLP was elected to do: govern for the best interests of the government of The Bahamas.