EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE US Senate Foreign Relations hearing, for the designate US Ambassador Doug Manchester, very clearly exposed much wanting in the US policy to The Bahamas, although I did like the gentleman’s comment, that he would encourage US investment.
Why would there be a US Ambassador, if The Bahamas was not a sovereign country?
Surely, the gentleman should have been briefed on OPBAT - probably the most significant area of co-operation, between the US and The Bahamas and the single issue, which annually the US State Department chastises us about, although there is a very small amount of cocaine use.
Further bad briefing over the Chinese Fishing project - the then Prime Minister Christie, made it empathetically clear that there was absolutely no possible way, for any foreign entity to obtain a fishing License in our waters. Was this a briefing slip up from the Queen’s Street?
For sure we hope this next Ambassador, if ratified, will not be all talk, but will bring substantive US investors to The Bahamas like the Chinese have. We are no doubt the playground for the US. Numerous Senators and Congress people visit the islands to fly fish - some own property and bring their families. We look forward to a far more economically productive period of the good gentleman’s assignment. Not a lot of talk and the usual criticism, but real action.
The US have to take ownership of a lot of the social mess we have. The “grabalish” appetite of the US for cocaine, not grown or processed in the Bahamas has been and continues to be a serious social “destablisher.” The US must take the blame for that.
Interesting his professional background is hotels. The Bahamas urgently needs hotel developers for the islands. It would be a great testament to the Ambassador, if he could cause that.
Sorry, Mr. Manchester, we are not a US State, or a territory - but a small proud little Nation right next door to you.
W. THOMPSON
Nassau,
August 3, 2017.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago
I'm not sure where you get off telling the U.S. it has to take ownership of a lot of our social mess. You must be one of those Bahamians quick to blame anyone and everyone for your own mistakes and shortcomings. Americans didn't elect Pindling and then later accept his opening of our doors to the drug trade.....we did that all on our own! As for us being "a small proud little Nation", I think many of us would frankly tell you that right now we have very little to be proud of as we struggle (under a new government) to re-build a country that has been run right into the ground in more ways than one; socially, economically, spiritually....you name it. If you truly have serious problems with our neighbour to the north, then perhaps you should consider relocating to an island so big that it enjoys continent status: Australia!
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