THE GUARDIAN WEIGHS IN ON NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR
From the public record, we see no evidence that The Bahamas government has any relationship with the transition team of Donald Trump who is not yet President of the United States. Therefore it should not comment on any matter which is forwarded from that quarter until the power has actually transferred. However the government should not ignore what comes from that quarter. The name of Herschl Walker, former football player, has been advanced to be a nominee for Ambassador to The Bahamas from that quarter. Unless there is more this is not an appropriate nominee. We will see what the women’s groups in The Bahamas have to say or whether they will be silent. The question must be asked whether the United States government has followed the procedure in the case of naming an ambassador and that is before you announce a name, to ask the country’s government whether or not they would find such a nominee acceptable. That could not happen in this case because there is a nominee that our country has already agreed on and that is Calvin Smyre. No new nominee is before the government at this time from what we can discern from the public record.
The following is an excerpt from the Nassau Guardian’s editorial 19 December 2024 on the choice of Herschel Walker as the possible ambassador to The Bahamas by the new U.S. President:
Though we are somewhat baffled by President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Herschel Walker for the post of United States ambassador to The Bahamas, we do hope that he proves a competent and adroit diplomat…
It is our hope that Walker will prove the skeptics wrong and demonstrate that he is prepared to serve as a capable and committed ambassador.
The relationship between The Bahamas and the United States is far too important to be treated lightly.
As we look ahead, we urge both governments to continue to work closely to address the challenges and opportunities we share.
The people of The Bahamas and the United States deserve nothing less than the very best leadership and representation.
For now, we can only watch and hope that Walker will come to understand the weight of the responsibility he may be entrusted with and that he will embrace the opportunity to deepen and strengthen the partnership between our two nations.