The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken note of an editorial in this morning’s edition of The Nassau Guardian, Thursday 22nd April, 2004.  The inescapable implication of that editorial is that the Government is hiding facts about the robbery of Mrs. Francoise Torchon-Newry, wife of The Bahamas Ambassador to Haiti.  That is incorrect.  The Ministry has laid the facts as it knows them in this case before the Bahamian public.

The Ministry has communicated directly with the Editor of The Nassau Guardian seeking to discover the following:

What facts in this matter are not readily forthcoming?

What information does The Nassau Guardian possess which the Ministry has refused to deny or confirm?

What information does The Nassau Guardian possess that the Ministry has not disseminated or does not have?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government take seriously the obligation to inform the public and have used every opportunity to do so in this case.  The Ministry is fully cognizant that it acts, ultimately, at the behest of the Bahamian people and spares no effort to keep its principals informed.

During a news briefing at Nassau International Airport on Sunday 18th April upon the return of the Newrys from Haiti, Minister the Honourable Fred Mitchell shared with the press the Ministry’s current knowledge of events surrounding the incident.  This included the fact that an event had transpired overnight in connection with the Vice Consul, which caused the recall of all diplomatic staff in Haiti.  Reporters had the opportunity to ask any question they wished, but no questions were asked by any reporter concerning that event.
In briefing the Honourable House of Assembly about the matter on Wednesday 21st April, the Minister again shared the most current information.  Again, Members of Parliament were at liberty to question the Minister regarding his communication.  At each turn, the Ministry has committed itself to keeping the public updated and informed.  That is a hallmark of the Ministry’s and the Government’s management of information.

These are the facts:

Mrs. Newry preferred medical care in The Bahamas, as is her right.

Given the geopolitical realities in Haiti, the sensitivity of that nation’s relationships with Caricom countries and the importance attached to the presence of The Bahamas in Haiti, it is not unusual for senior officials of all Governments involved to have visited Mrs. Newry’s hospital bedside.  For The Nassau Guardian’s editorial to have asserted that such an occurrence was unusual is unwarranted.  Indeed if a similar act had occurred in The Bahamas with the wife of a diplomat, officials of the Government of The Bahamas would have done the same.

The transport of Bahamian diplomats to Port-au-Prince airport in a secure fashion through the assistance of other nations also reflects the present realities in Haiti.  The Government accepted the offers of additional protection in this matter simply because it did not know at that point what the precise security situation was and the use of every additional precaution available was prudent in the circumstance to secure the safety of Bahamian representatives.  Again, any suggestion of a sinister motive to the contrary is unwarranted.

Given the current evidence and notwithstanding the fact that the matter is under investigation, the Ministry reiterates that it is satisfied that this was not a political attack on The Bahamas but rather an unfortunate occurrence of crime.  The criminals, after all, fled when given cash.

The Ministry again calls on the responsible press to avoid unnecessary, inflammatory rhetoric in this matter.

As a matter of general course in its relations with the public, in all cases where statements have been made by the Ministry, the information disseminated reflects current knowledge, which is labelled as that.  This does not preclude new knowledge in the future and it must be agreed that our commitment to updating public information is unparalleled.

Further, the press and the general public should also be aware that considerations of privacy, present and future safety and security for all involved and a responsibility not to disseminate preliminary data which may later turn out to be incorrect, all inform the Ministry’s policy with regard to its public utterances.  Notwithstanding those facts, there is nothing of material relevance about the robbery of Mrs. Newry and her party in Haiti that is known by the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which the public does not know.

The Bahamas must become used to the realities of pursuing its sovereign interests, sometimes in unstable situations, on the regional and international stage and resist the idle temptation to spin conspiracy theories where there is consistent, truthful transparency.
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
22nd April, 2004
 
 
 

 
22nd April, 2004

Editor
The Nassau Guardian

Dear Sir:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken note of an editorial in this morning’s edition of The Nassau Guardian, Thursday 22nd April, 2004.  The inescapable implication of that editorial is that the Government is hiding facts about the robbery of Mrs. Francoise Torchon-Newry, wife of The Bahamas Ambassador to Haiti.  That is incorrect. The Ministry has laid the facts as it knows them in this case before the Bahamian public.

Please inform us of the following:

What facts in this matter are not readily forthcoming?

What information does The Nassau Guardian possess which the Ministry has refused to deny or confirm?

What information does The Nassau Guardian possess that the Ministry has not disseminated or does not have?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government take seriously the obligation to inform the public and have used every opportunity to do so in this case.  The Ministry is fully cognizant that it acts, ultimately, at the behest of the Bahamian people and spares no effort to keep its principals informed.

During a news briefing at Nassau International Airport on Sunday 18th April upon the return of the Newrys from Haiti, Minister the Honourable Fred Mitchell shared with the press the Ministry’s current knowledge of events surrounding the incident.  This included the fact that an event had transpired overnight in connection with the Vice Consul, which caused the recall of all diplomatic staff in Haiti.  Reporters had the opportunity to ask any question they wished, but no questions were asked by any reporter concerning that event.

In briefing the Honourable House of Assembly about the matter on Wednesday 21st April, the Minister again shared the most current information.  Again, Members of Parliament were at liberty to question the Minister regarding his communication.  At each turn, the Ministry has committed itself to keeping the public updated and informed.  That is a hallmark of the Ministry’s and the Government’s management of information.

These are the facts:

Mrs. Newry preferred medical care in The Bahamas, as is her right.

Given the geopolitical realities in Haiti, the sensitivity of that nation’s relationships with Caricom countries and the importance attached to the presence of The Bahamas in Haiti, it is not unusual for senior officials of all Governments involved to have visited Mrs. Newry’s hospital bedside.  For The Nassau Guardian’s editorial to have asserted that such an occurrence was unusual is unwarranted.  Indeed if a similar act had occurred in The Bahamas with the wife of a diplomat, officials of the Government of The Bahamas would have done the same.

The transport of Bahamian diplomats to Port-au-Prince airport in a secure fashion through the assistance of other nations also reflects the present realities in Haiti.  The Government accepted the offers of additional protection in this matter simply because it did not know at that point what the precise security situation was and every additional precaution available was prudent in the circumstance to secure the safety of Bahamian representatives.  Again, any suggestion of a sinister motive to the contrary is unwarranted.

Given the current evidence and notwithstanding the fact that the matter is under investigation, the Ministry reiterates that it is satisfied that this was not a political attack on The Bahamas but rather an unfortunate occurrence of crime.  The criminals, after all, fled when given cash.

The Ministry again calls on the responsible press to avoid unnecessary, inflammatory rhetoric in this matter.

As a matter of general course in its relations with the public, in all cases where statements have been made by the Ministry, the information disseminated reflects current knowledge, which is labelled as that.  This does not preclude new knowledge in the future and it must be agreed that our commitment to updating public information is unparalleled.

Further, the press and the general public should also be aware that considerations of privacy, present and future safety and security for all involved and a responsibility not to disseminate preliminary data which may later turn out to be incorrect, all inform the Ministry’s policy with regard to its public utterances.  Notwithstanding those facts, there is nothing of material relevance about the robbery of Mrs. Newry and her party in Haiti that is known by the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which the public does not know.

The Bahamas must become used to the realities of pursuing its sovereign interests, sometimes in unstable situations, on the regional and international stage and resist the idle temptation to spin conspiracy theories where there is consistent, truthful transparency.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
22nd April, 2004