The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune. IT NEVER ceases to amaze how some politicians and pundits make up new rules to justify their own false notions and prejudices. We have been treated to such a spectacle by a few who have criticised the wife of the Prime Minister, and the Bahamian Ambassador to China, Ellie Chase Campbell, for attending political rallies. It was suggested that Mrs Ingraham not attend rallies because she is a civil servant. On the face of it alone, it is a silly suggestion that the wife of the Prime Minister be banned from attending political events because she is a public officer. To extend the absolutely ridiculous nature of this suggestion, every public officer whose spouse is a politician should be banned from attending political events with their husband or wife. Of course, over the years, the public officer spouses of Bahamian politicians of just about every political stripe have attended political events. So, why is there a new rule all of a sudden for Mrs Ingraham? Individuals can make up their own minds on this question. Further, Mrs Ingraham has attended many other political events with her husband over the years. Again, why this new rule in the case of spouse of the sitting Prime Minister? The matter of a public officer attending a political rally with a spouse engaged in politics is a common practice not only in The Bahamas. In fact, Cherie Blair, as the wife of then sitting UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, served as a recorder. A recorder is a permanent part-time judge. Yet, Mrs Blair attended many political events with her spouse when he was Prime Minister. For the record, public officers are restricted from running for national political office, but may seek election to office in local government. Public officers are also restricted from speaking from the public platform on a political agenda. Notwithstanding, the PLP regularly had civil servants address their conventions with no outcry from a number of people, like the Opposition Leader in the Senate Allyson Maynard Gibson, now vocal about who should or should not attend political events. Further, the idea that anyone who works for the Government and is paid out of public funds is a public servant under the Constitution and laws of The Bahamas is patently nonsensical. The most obvious group of persons who are paid by the Public Treasury but are not considered public officers are elected politicians. What about the matter of principal diplomats attending political events? Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other principal diplomats are appointed by the Prime Minister and can come from inside or outside the public service. The Prime Minister need not consult with the Public Service Commission if he decides to appoint someone from outside the service, and a person so appointed does not become a public officer under the Constitution and laws of The Bahamas. If a public officer is appointed Ambassador, he or she remains a public officer. The present Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Patricia Rodgers, served as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to several European countries and returned to the Ministry as a public officer at the end of her term. A number of Bahamian politicians have become Ambassadors, and two - James Moultrie and Anthony Rolle - served as Ambassador and Member of Parliament at the same time. They were not public officers. So all the noise about an Ambassador being seen at a political rally is sheer nonsense. An Ambassador who is not a public officer has every right to attend political rallies, speak at them and to campaign if he or she sees fit. FOR THE RECORD Nassau, March 1, 2012