The Foreign Ministry On Bahamians Travelling Abroad Bring Enough Cash

So the Bahamas Foreign Ministry has finally found its voice to give advice to Bahamian travelers abroad.  The message was not very nice but it was clear: “ don’t call us, we can do nothing to help you”.  As a result of the Covid pandemic, it appears that a higher than usual number of requests are being made of the Ministry’s offices overseas to provide emergency funding for Bahamians stuck abroad. We agree that people should pay their own way, even in emergencies. This idea that somehow the Government is responsible for you when you make bad decisions overseas is troubling. You are responsible.  The Ministry made that clear.  Carry enough money to tide you over for emergencies. That said, however, we part company with the Ministry when the emergency situation is caused by the Bahamas Government. The preemptory decision to shut the borders and to provide Covid tests to get back home are not emergencies that a Bahamian citizen could have foreseen. This is entirely the Government’s fault and they did not care about the practical consequences of their decisions. So in this instance when people are stranded because of their decisions, government should pay.