THE NEW DIPLOMATS
There are now seven new diplomats sworn into the service of the Foreign Service of The Bahamas on Wednesday 3rd August 2022. They are Ambassadors of Goodwill Rick Fox and Chris “Fireman” Brown, Taran Mackey to Kuwait, Dr. Dexter Johnson to Brazil, Sebastian Bastian, Ambassador to the Central American countries, William Wong to Morocco, Joseph Curry to the Holy See at the Vatican City. Congratulations to them all.
The Deputy to the Governor General presented the instruments of appointment on Wednesday 3 August 2022 at Bahamar in the absence of the Governor General who had earlier tested positive for Covid 19. The Prime Minster gave them their marching orders and welcomed them into the service.
There are 192 countries in the United Nations. The Bahamas should have had diplomatic relations with each of them. We do not. There are international bodies to which we should have accredited ambassadors, we have not. The country is going on 50 years as an independent country. It is time for us to flesh out our relations as the citizens of the country become ever more expansive in their travels around the world.
Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister, is the architect of all of this. His belief is that the Foreign Ministry must make it possible for Bahamian citizens to have the easiest passage around the world. To do this there must be diplomatic relations and there must be a series of visa abolition agreements to ensure that there is no let or hindrance for Bahamian citizens around the world.
Speaking at the ceremony the Foreign Minister said that there are usually two reactions to the announcements about new Ambassadors. First, there are the curmudgeons who sit at home saying “ Bah humbug”. In other words: why are having so many ambassadors? Then there are those who see the announcements as an opportunity to descend upon the Prime Minister or the Minister of Foreign Affairs asking for a place overseas, seeing the Foreign Ministry as a refuge for anyone who wishes to flee The Bahamas or as a flight from their personal issues.
Mr. Mitchell said the Foreign Service is not that, neither is it the place for those who are looking for money and banker’s hours.
The work must be done to make all of these things possible. More are being enlisted in the job as we wish the new seven the best in their endeavors on behalf of our country.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday, 6th August , 2022 up to midnight: 333,029;
Number of hits for the month of July up to Sunday, 31st July, 2022 up to midnight: 1,539,899;
Number of hits for the month of August up to Saturday, 6th August, 2022 up to midnight: 271,577;
Number of hits for the year 2022 up to Saturday, 6th August, 2022 up to midnight: 9,535,165.