The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

There are many accusations that can be levied against this present administration, however, being sagacious is not one of them.  Let me give an example of what I mean.

The Bahamas and US have enjoyed a relatively amicable relationship for many years. That relationship, while not perfect has garnered tremendous benefits for both countries, allowing us to call each other friends.

Enter the first Christie administration and their acceptance of a thirty million dollar “gift” from the People’s Republic of China. Never mind conventional Bahamian wisdom that says nobody gives you something for nothing, the government accepted that gift and opened the floodgates of Chinese “investment” and procurement of properties.

The government continued to relent to its new economic benefactor, as though thumbing its nose in the face of our American ally.

Our government not only advanced its diplomatic relationship allowing China to establish an embassy here, but to add insult to injury also allowed Chinese interests to purchase expensive real estate near the US embassy.

This government, despite being aware of the many issues these two countries have with each other and the magnitude of Chinese cyber attacks against US interests, permitted their new “friends” to purchase the Nassau Hilton, which is within earshot of the US embassy. Quite naturally now, the US has announced plans to relocate that embassy for whatever reasons they choose to declare publicly.

In times past whenever the government of The Bahamas had problems that required certain specialised expertise we sought help from our American neighbours. In times past though we were friends.

Fast forward to January 2016 and the government’s abysmal failure to get crime under control prompting Bernard Nottage to go traipsing to our friends and neighbours to the northwest seeking help from the FBI. Consider too the recent request for the involvement of various US governmental departments to assist in the melee between government and two wealthy expatriates.

Now after dealing, in my opinion, so underhandedly with a nation that has been our closest ally for decades, this government wants to continue to run to the US every time they have a problem, as though our relations are the same as they were in the past.

I am sure the Americans must be laughing at the quandry the incompetents who govern us have gotten themselves into.

How distasteful!

JB

Nassau,

March 21, 2016.