PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell. (File photo)
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell says Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ trip to Brussels to meet with high-level European officials is “quite strange” and makes the country look like “grovelling mendicants”.
Mr Mitchell questioned why the prime minister made the foreign trip when his administration contains a Finance Minister, International Trade Minister, Foreign Minister and ambassador to the European Union.
“The announcement tonight that the Prime Minister is to fly to Brussels to meet with “ high ranking European Officials” is quite strange,” Mr Mitchell said Sunday in a press statement. “How is it that a Prime Minister who has a Finance Minister, an International Trade Minister, a Foreign Minister and an ambassador to the European Union so lowers himself to meet with European Union officials...no one of equal rank of a prime minister.
“This makes our country look like a country of grovelling mendicants with our caps in our hands saying: ‘Please sirs we want some more’.”
The prime minister and delegation left for Belgium yesterday morning to hold bilateral talks with high-ranking officials of the European Commission.
The discussions will focus on matters relating to the fulfilment by The Bahamas of its commitments to the EU, and how those commitments will be implemented by the financial services sector of The Bahamas.
Prime Minister Minnis will also promote recent initiatives by the government in the financial services sector, and will outline recently passed legislation and a new framework aimed at strengthening industry regulations and protecting the financial services’ competitive edge as a leading international financial centre.
The delegation is comprised of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Carl Bethel, QC, Viana Gardiner, COO, Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, Stephen Coakley Wells, advisor to the Minister of Finance and Wendy Warren, CEO, Caystone Group.
Comments
John 5 years, 11 months ago
It appears that the March 29, the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union will not happen, at least not in March 2019. Prime Minister Mays exit plan from the EU has been defeated. The British parliament will take a vote of 'no confidence' in Prime Minister Mays on Wednesday evening. If the vote of no confidence is successful, Mays will have 14 days to form a new government. And if this fails, the United Kingdom will go into general elections, effectively stalling its exit from the EU and increasing the possibility that the decision to exit the union goes to a second referendum and is defeated. One British lawmaker referred to the EU as a club that maintains its power and control by punishing members who want to exit. Gangsters who set the rules they don't intend to abide but use their muscle to force smaller and weaker countries to follow, as is here kindly demonstrated.
DDK 5 years, 11 months ago
She has scraped through by 19 votes!
TalRussell 5 years, 11 months ago
OK!!!
TigerB 5 years, 11 months ago
I'm watching Fred Mitchell complaining on National TV about the Prime minister taking international trips...unbelievable, unthinkable... something is wrong with that picture. I think he miss those trips as minister!!!
SP 5 years, 11 months ago
STFU Fred!!
BMW 5 years, 11 months ago
Agreed STFU fred.
pingmydling 5 years, 11 months ago
Fweddy begged Hubert to take him with him. He told the PM he knew every dark, nasty, hangout in every capital in Europe.; but party pooper PM said no. Fweddy was so vexed he had
to make one of his intermittent pubic ( oops -- sorry) I meant public rants. Fweddy take a leaf from Dylan Thomas and please go gentle into that good night.
OMG 5 years, 11 months ago
Bloody hypocrite.
bogart 5 years, 11 months ago
DIs cant be fer real.....CRYING OUT...... PRIME MINISTER GOING OVER TO EUROPE.....TO MEET "high level European Officials".....LEADERSHIP POSITION...DA BOSS... AS "lowers himself"..........MONKEY ONCLE .....AN ALL DESE YEARS SINCE AFTER INDEPENDENCE....ALL DEM LAWYERS ....RUNNING OVER TO FORMER ...COLONIAL ...MASTERS...STILL DRESSING UP IN DEM FORMER COLONIAL MASTERS CLOTHES FASHIONS ...NOT ONLY DOING IT ....paying dey Bahamian money to travel way over dere....study...graduate...pass exams an still go back.... for people to tell them...DA PRIVY COUNCIL.........BUT BUT.......RIGHT HERE TOO....IN DIS SOVEREIGN TERRITORY......RIGHT DOWNTOWN ...IN RAWSON SQUARE....BAHAMAS CAPITOL...all dem changing up Bahamian dollars....to pounds shillings pence..send it over dere.....to buy dem white remi wigs...hair from other peoples dem head.... .to cover up dey own natural beautiful God given Bahamian hear.....
yeahyasee 5 years, 11 months ago
A mendicant (from Latin: mendicans, "begging") is one who practices mendicancy (begging) and relies chiefly or exclusively on charitable donations to survive.
Freddy boy miss those flights LOL
joeblow 5 years, 11 months ago
Nygard proved the PLP perfected the art of beggary!
birdiestrachan 5 years, 11 months ago
Mr: Turnquest and Mr Symonette had visited Belgium all ready. Doc wanted to visit also. The man is a stranger to the truth. so even if he accomplished zero He will say all went well.
Doc is having a great time. while the rich gets richer and the poor who cares??.
DDK 5 years, 11 months ago
Pot calling kettle black. In defense of the PM and entourage, perhaps they have never been to Brussels and simply want to sample their cuisine and wine!! The trip is, after all, paid for by The People!
sealice 5 years, 11 months ago
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pingmydling 5 years, 11 months ago
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Truism 5 years, 11 months ago
When one can find no reasonable cause to support the action of one's leaders we do what we do. We present the vilest bile and pretend that we are addressing or defending the action of our leaders. Deflection, deflection, deflection... SAD
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