By KYLE WALKINE
Tribune Staff Reporter
kwalkine@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday hit out at criticisms levelled at him by former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, calling the former minister’s conduct “stupid and unpatriotic”.
Mr Mitchell’s comments are the latest in a war of words with Mr Symonette.
On Wednesday, Mr Symonette told The Tribune that since taking office as the minister of foreign affairs Mr Mitchell has “continuously appeared to be anti-American with his comments”.
When asked to respond to this Mr Mitchell said, “Nothing about me is anti-American.
“Everything I do is in the best interest of the Bahamian people. One thing that he and the FNM have to understand is that I speak up for the rights of Bahamians. That’s all.
“As far as I’m concerned, he (Brent Symonette) can go climb back up under the rock from whence he came. Contrary to what the former minister of foreign affairs says, there is no crisis in the relations between the United States of America and the Bahamas. I find it curious that the former deputy prime minister, who did nothing as a minister while in office and had no voice for five years, is suddenly so vocal as to prescribe to this minister what I should do. Bahamians would say surely he should stop clowning.”
Mr Mitchell, who was in Guyana attending the 17th Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), said he was shopping for a dunce cap for Mr Symonette over his “stupid comments”.
Mr Symonette also told The Tribune earlier this week that Mr Mitchell has criticized him for living near an American diplomat.
“He is even on record attacking me for being fairly liberal and close to the US because the charge d’affaires is my neighbour,” Mr Symonette said.
When asked if he has an issue with this, Mr Mitchell said, “I have no comment on his relationship at all. I am speaking about his conduct and it is stupid and unpatriotic.”
The argument between the two unfolded after Mr Mitchell stated that if the US National Security Agency (NSA) was indeed intercepting and recording all cellphone calls within The Bahamas, then the Ingraham administration would have to account for the claims because the timeline for the allegations relate to a period “in and around 2011”, when Mr Symonette was foreign minister.
Mr Symonette has denied that the Free National Movement (FNM) had any knowledge or involvement in the matter and asked that Mr Mitchell do his investigation without dragging the former government in the matter.
Yesterday, Mr Mitchell also criticised FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner, who has questioned whether the government’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) was created to work with the NSA to spy on Bahamians.
“These present events have nothing to do with her inventions and her vivid imagination about the NIA. There is nothing to answer about the present NIA, an administrative body charged with managing the information flows on security matters,” Mr Mitchell said.
He added that the FNM deputy leader is “adding two and two together as usual and making it five”.
Concerns that the US is allegedly spying on the Bahamas emerged this week after an article published Monday on the website The Intercept alleged that all cell phone conversations in the country were being intercepted and recorded by the NSA.
In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Philip Davis gave an update on the government’s investigations into the matter.
He said the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bahamas’ ambassador to Washington with the deputy chief of mission met with US officials seeking a full explanation into the claims.
Comments
URD 10 years, 7 months ago
Mitchell fights like a real female!
jackbnimble 10 years, 7 months ago
He can't help himself. Just HAS to respond to every criticism!
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago
You're insulting females
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
Fred is NOT fit and proper to continue as our top diplomat .................... FIRE HIM!!!!!!!!!!
Cobalt 10 years, 7 months ago
Who??? Perry Christie??? Fire one of his idiot MP's??? Perry is just as stupid as Fred Mitchell! He's the one who placed him there!
stillwaters 10 years, 7 months ago
Does Fred really think that nobody should criticize him, and that if they do criticize his important little self, they are either dumb, stupid, or need to get a life? What a sorry bunch of men we have leading this country right now.
ohdrap4 10 years, 7 months ago
you forgot treasonous, people who criticize him are treasonous
slim242 10 years, 7 months ago
He is just plain arrogant and too full of himself.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago
How was he chosen as a "diplomatic"???? His language is always so heated
ohdrap4 10 years, 7 months ago
Is he going to be photographed with the woman from Uganda? Is he going to go to Uganda to reciprocate her visit?
Sickened 10 years, 7 months ago
Why this man so sensitive? You think he sof'? It's soooo easy to get his panties in a twist. While he's out shopping (and not working) he should buy himself some thicker skin to go with twisted panties.
TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago
Just look at you bunch of red Comrades. Here you are so incapable of maintaining a high level of debate with Minister Freddy but talk'in how he got's his nickers in a twist.
Hogfish 10 years, 7 months ago
Look on the the brightside people. At least we're all agreeing with each other for once!
That he wears panties (or even a g-string!) instead of boxers or briefs. lol
TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Brent seems to enjoy taking an already tumultuous relationship with the Minister Freddy and he-self to even greater heights. The former DPM must knows how he can sets Freedy off, like non other in the red party ...that is, if Brent is still a red shirts?
SP 10 years, 7 months ago
Typical unintelligent conversation of FNM's. No wonder Hubert Ingraham went wacko.
Fred Mitchell certainly ran circles around and beat the hell out of "whats its face FNM" in Foxhill during the 2012 elections!
I wouldn't vote for the PLP or FNM,.....both SUCK!.....But Fred Mitchell is "par excellence" in the role as Foreign Affairs Minister!
URD 10 years, 7 months ago
certainly don't know where you live ^^
PastorTroy 10 years, 7 months ago
I don't agree with Minister Mitchell on everything, however, I can certainly respect ambition. He seem to be a bit sensitive, but very strong headed. The former Millionaire DPM came from a family with interesting history. The UBP, FNM and the U.S obviously can get along, their history and objective for the Bahamas is and has always been the same...
sansoucireader 10 years, 7 months ago
Fred Mitchell ran for Fox Hill (PLP). Hubert Chipman ran for St. Anne's (FNM). He replaced Brent Symonette (FNM) who was the previous representative. Mitchell and Symonette were in two different constituencies.
SensibleGoverning2016 10 years, 7 months ago
I would agree with you on that point. The FNM had allot of week candidate for 2012.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
General.................U are a sorry example of a Bahamian. Your rhetoric is offensive to any right-thinking Bahamian.......... ur sorry ass should go jump in the deepest blue hole in the world.............. on second thoughts, this proud sheeprunner doesn't want ur frousy ass near my island
Hogfish 10 years, 7 months ago
as said many times before yet none of us learn, 'divide et imperia' --> Divide and conquer. :( by BOTH SIDES who are one and the same!... and you talk about slave masters.
They all walking to the bank.
layinlow 10 years, 7 months ago
An ex- once said "Even when the truth is staring you in the face........Deny deny deny........." neighbor.
SP 10 years, 7 months ago
@ generalcrazy....Careful not to sink to their level.
Remember 49%+ black Bahamians voted to stay in slavery under the UBP. Those same 49+% indoctrinated into their offspring that black is worthless and white is right.
Slaves do and say weird, nonsensical things when they lost their Massa, Papa, one man jackass.
SensibleGoverning2016 10 years, 7 months ago
You make a good point back then. They did not consider the new PLP because it is typical of uneducated people. they don't believe in the own kind that they can lead, because they believe that they are not any better than them. We must give thanks to the labour minister that did not buy in to that piece of shit Symonette and gave his vote to the PLP. Also I don't even know why that racist jackass is even on the money.
Kalypso 10 years, 7 months ago
How many of you making above comments have had the benefit of tertiary education? I'd guess less than 5%, based on your comments. Like it or not, Fred is an intellectual, and the best foreign affairs minister this country has ever had. All the sleazy comments and character attacks against Fred indicate that racism, homophobia, and ignorance thrive in the Bahamas. Sad that you folks missed out on a decent education, and are consumed w hate and regret.
SensibleGoverning2016 10 years, 7 months ago
Wow this has to be the man himself Fred Mitchell. Welcome how the hell are you doing.
SensibleGoverning2016 10 years, 7 months ago
Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature; Master’s in Public Administration; and Bachelor of Laws. This is Freds Education. He should not be a Foreign Minister. Do I see at the Minimum a degree in History and that is the rock bottom minimum. He should have at least a degree in Political Science, International Relations or Comparative Politics at the undergraduate level and the graduate level. He does not have anything near that. He has been learning on the job that is why he does not really talk with facts he is always defending.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
Is there any PLP Cabinet member with the requisite academic/professional credentials for the Office that he/she holds???????????? Less than a handful .............. dont count the Junior Ministers. Overloaded Cabinet
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SensibleGoverning2016 10 years, 7 months ago
Mitchell should be fired and Symonette should have never been an MP. That entire family needs to stay out of Politics. That same family patriarch was the one that did not want woman to vote much less black women and did not want to integrate the country nor did he want the blacks to advance in this country. I just don't know what the hell is the mindset of the Bahamian people, how do you all just sit down and be govern by a bunch of ass wipes. People wake up; smell the beaches because very soon that will be taken away at the rate of idiotic governing.
On the case of Mitchell, he is a total idiot that is disenchanted from Fox Hill. He never takes blame for anything and all he does is make a big deal out of the stupidest thing. If there is a spy agency that is in the government, your party is in power deal with it and stop bitching at the opposition. I am so fed up with this guy. It has had Fox Hill since 1992 and has done absolutely nothing. Why do these people keep putting him in office. COME ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SP 10 years, 7 months ago
Hubert Ingraham, Perry Christie AND Brent Symonette are all suspect in secretly collaborating with the Americans.
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2012/apr…
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