MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said sanctions from western countries on Russian businesses and oligarchs may already apply to the business interests they have in The Bahamas even though local authorities have implemented no sanctions of their own.
The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and a number of other countries have sanctioned Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
“The issue of what to do is probably (going to) be driven by the practicalities of this. One is the relationship with the United States and the European Union and then secondly our financial services sector,” Mr Mitchell told reporters yesterday.
“From what I’ve seen, there was a circular in my briefing from the lawyers, the Bahamian lawyers or the Attorney General’s Office, which is that many of the banks and trust companies here are already dealing with individuals who have been sanctioned and institutions that have been sanctioned as if sanctions have been imposed by The Bahamas government. And that is because in their home countries they may run afoul of the law if they do not apply the sanctions that have been applied in their home countries. So, that may already be happening in The Bahamas and it’s a question of catching up so to speak.
“Those await formal decisions that’s beyond my remit at the moment. Obviously we are concerned that we line up because this is what is really happening now, people have to line up on whose side you’re on, whether you’re on the good guys, bad guys side and our allies, the United States and the west, and so that’s where we’re lining up and we have to do in my view things which are consummate with those facts.”
He also said: “The question of sanctions is really what is being begged at the moment and that has to do with the Prime Minister’s statement at CARICOM which is to see where, in the context of the CARICOM relationships, the other countries are gonna go with regard to sanctions. What I know is that it’s an evolving story and I’m briefing the parliamentary group this evening, the Cabinet in the morning and it’s an evolving story about what happens from there.”
Mr Mitchell could not say what the country will do about a Russian tanker that was denied entry into Canada and reportedly arrived in The Bahamas yesterday. According to Reuters, the Liberia-flagged Sovcomflot-owned oil tanker, SCF Neva, abruptly changed course and arrived in The Bahamas while carrying bunker fuel for Canada’s Irving Oil.
Comments
TalRussell 2 years, 8 months ago
First duh cruise ships sought we UK Colony's safe seawaters and already two Russian ships have altered course are heading for we seawaters, ― Yes?
Sickened 2 years, 8 months ago
Heads must also roll for ending the full hedging prematurely. Stupidity is killing us one slice at a time. We are bleeding out of 1,000 cuts now.
Proguing 2 years, 8 months ago
Well if we can buy that Russian oil at a big discount this will be a big relief to Bahamians. At the end of the day the Bahamas is not responsible for the surge in the price of oil and it is the duty for our government to seek the cheapest oil on the market.
DiverBelow 2 years, 8 months ago
Who gona refine it, where? It's crude oil.
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
So we are O.K. with Putin's Oligarchs hiding their yachts and money here? Supporting this killer? So if we are providing safe havens for these pigs to hide their yachts as we are " still studying" the issue, giving these hogs plenty of time to get get to countries that are clear friends of Russia. Way to step out and do the right thing. Thought we were being lead by Brave? Cowards is a better description.
Proguing 2 years, 8 months ago
Hmmm when the USA invaded Iraq did we seize Bill Gates’ yacht? And under what legal basis would we seize the property of someone else? And how can we determine with certainty that a yacht belongs to a certain individual? These ships are owned by a myriad of companies and often purchased on credit. The government is right to be cautious in this matter.
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
Tomatoes and Mushrooms man. No comparison. Start playing "yah, but look what you did" and we will never move forward. That's o.k. invite an Oligarch over for dinner tonight. I am sure you especially would hit if off with them.
Proguing 2 years, 8 months ago
We shall certainly never move forward by acting on emotions, ignoring the rule of law and adopting double standards.
IslandWarrior 2 years, 8 months ago
Who is paying for the losses from the Illegal American Sanctions? The Bahamas can choose to stay neutral; international politics should not be The Bahamas' concern and remain a welcoming country to all. The Americans have no creditability and are not worth the effort considering when they are ready to turn on us; they do, and mercilessly.
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
What a pathetic position. God loves you. Maybe.
IslandWarrior 2 years, 8 months ago
To those who live in a world of pseudo realities and are of the "deaf talking to dumb", please read:
This Crusade is not new for Russia, just the same old trick on a new day. The difference is that the Americans are predictable; most of you may not know that this event has happened to the USSR 9 times. The Allied Forces, as they were called, before the creation of NATO, had worst planned for the Russian People; the Ukraine issue is only a dirty, sinister ploy that covers the West's true intentions. Lookup code names like (Trojan, Pincher, Bushwakker, Crankshaft, Halfmoon, Cogwheel, Offtackle, Charioteer and Dropshot. All nasty dark plots to annihilate "wipe from the face of the earth", quoting a former American President about the people of The Russian Federation. In the past, there was Joseph Stalin, and we now have Vladimir Putin (the master spy) to disrupt the evil plots of the Godless, Soulless, Dark hearted People.
The Americans are no one's friend, and it's a phenomenon of consumption, its uses then discard, it abuses then boast, it lies and then prides itself for doing so; it has no friends, only opportunities.
hrysippus 2 years, 8 months ago
Islandwarrior's comments would be laughable if there were not women and children being killed from shelling right now in Ukraine. Just Sad.
IslandWarrior 2 years, 8 months ago
The shell, killing and downing of passenger plains started eight years ago, and that is not laughable ...but it speaks to how fickle some of us are. We choose not to read but to follow, staying ignorant just because it's comfortable and shameless to know any better.
Educate yourself and not be influenced by evil forces that will turn on you in half a blink.
Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 Publisher Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Date 21 March 2014
"women and children being killed from shelling" in 2014, why didn't you care then? I guess it was laughable, right?
User1234 2 years, 8 months ago
you sir....are a clown
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
P.S. remember all the geniuses that usually show up on this blog and comment, do not under any circumstances get vaccinated for anything. Mumps, Measles, Covid..... Remember there are those chips they use to track your every move from your house to the numbers house, and back again. We will always be a 4th world country with stiff back bones like yours.
Proguing 2 years, 8 months ago
The genius is certainly not Biden who said "take the vaccine and you won't get Covid" and who took sanctions against Russia which resulted in a historic price surge in all the commodities that Russia produces. Who do you think benefits from oil at $130 a barrel and who do you think will suffer? And what is Biden doing now that he realized his blunder? He is begging for oil with Iran and with Maduro who has been under US sanctions and is indicted in New York on drug trafficking charges...Not even Democrats are following him on that one. This is what Bob Menendez said about it "Nicolás Maduro is a cancer to our hemisphere and we should not breathe new life into his reign of torture and murder. As such, I would strongly oppose any action that fills the pockets of regime oligarchs with oil profits while Maduro continues to deprive Venezuelans of basic human rights, freedoms, and even food."
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
Wrong. He said it would keep you out of the ICU and off a ventilator. Get it right Pro-wrong. The rest of your babbling? Blah blah blah. You must love the U.S. Channel for outrageous entertainment Fox. You know the racist, lying, communist loving channel? I am sure it is the only channel you watch.
Proguing 2 years, 8 months ago
My god have you been living under a rock? Even CNN admitted it (see below, this has been all over the news). When you have no clue what you are talking about, don't accuse others of babbling or making false statements.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opin…
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/22/poli…
TalRussell 2 years, 8 months ago
Russia's bully Vladimir Putin, not only enjoys broad local on duh ground on duh airwaves support but in duh gov, has now published a growing list, currently listing 43 "unfriendly countries" which face economic restrictions in retaliation for sweeping sweeping sanctions brought in by the West, ― Yes?
Mr_Right 2 years, 8 months ago
This entire situation is fueled by White supremacy. Speaking of bullies. Is it right for the US to still have sanctions on Cuba? I heard Canada has opened it's borders for many Ukraine Refugees, how many Haitians did they take in during the crises? I don't know the answer. But I'm not interested in this white supremacists bs. If Ukraine is conquered, so be it. So many countries are dealing with issues, why makes the Ukraine story more important than the rest?
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
The Ukraine situation is not fueled by White Supremacy. They have cornered the market on all kinds of other horrible things going on in this world in the name of nationalism. In this case, it is a short stature, lying (just like Trump), dictator who wants to be more than the senior manager of the world's largest gas station. That is all they are. A gas station with Nuclear weapons, and a crazy manager of the station that has been stealing out of the till for decades and now wants land back that was legally released by the Soviet Union. He is an evil little killer. I am sure he is a white supremacist, but Ukraine's are white skinned people. Is it right for the U.S. to still have sanctions on Cuba? As long at they continue to blast the brains of people in the embassy with Russian developed sound weapons. I agree, the U.S. is far from perfect, but unfortunately we are dealing with a world of politics that is based upon relative behaviors. It is not binary. No the U.S. has inflicted many harms on this world, but they are still are best friend in this area. Unless you consider China to be our best friend. Ask some of the contractors and employees at Bahamar and see what they think. Ask the Wiegers in China if they think China is a great partner. Putting our heads in the sand (like we do with so many things) is not a way to run a country.
Mr_Right 2 years, 8 months ago
It isn't about allies. It is about focusing attention on something that doesn't need a response from The Bahamas. Are they supporting Carbon credit for vulnerable countries to climate change? My issue isn't the United States, my issue is why does the Bahamas have to be involved in nonsense that have nothing to do with us. We didn't get involved when they recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Why should we get involved in this. Nonsense.
Proguing 2 years, 8 months ago
Lol, do you even understand that there would be no Bahamar without the Chinese? We would still have the Crystal Palace...and as Charles de Gaulle said: "No nation has friends, only interests.". Let that sink in for a moment.
IslandWarrior 2 years, 8 months ago
overdosed on American propaganda, but you are not alone. In time, as so many have, you will wake up for your addiction.
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
Unfortunately most of the posters that I see on this blog will still be dying from Covid in the coming years long before U.S. propaganda poisoning. Anti Vax Whack Jobs. U.S. is not some land of goodness, but if you think that the only reason Bahamar exists is because of the thieving Chinese Construction Company along with the Chinese Government Bank coming along to save the day, along with the MP's at the time getting sweet deals on all the best store locations to the attached mall for pennies on the dollar, you are naive. No the U.S. is out for the U.S. but if you think there is a choice between who we want investing in our country between the U.S. and Chinese, then again you are ignorant. As far as U.S. addiction goes, let's see how long we would last without that U.S. dollar being spent in the most expensive, most poorly rated visitors destination experience in all the Caribbean. Fortunately they are too stupid to realize what a poor value they are receiving and we can go about our business as usual.
IslandWarrior 2 years, 8 months ago
I guess you must have the worst seat in the house, and the lights are dim or your vision so poor. I will ignore your rant about CCA and the Chinese Investment in the Bahamas, which surpasses any combined investment by the Americans in The Bahamas in the 70 plus years of US/Bahamas relations. Furthermore, the Bahamas tourist strategy, which Sir Stafford Sands created, initially attracted British and European Tourists who were more wealthy than the Americans. Sir Lynden Pindling ditched the pound sterling and ran away the wealthy European investors, residents and tourists, deciding with plans to develop the Bahamas after a US/American model, creating places like Freeport. For Sir Lynden, the young black "boy leader" who found himself the leader of a (cashless Bahamas) the American model, at the time, was his only option which also nearly cost him his life.
The convenience of your location and the all-important Americans are not welcomed or feel safe (on the cheap) in no other country. As a result, cheap boxes called hotels finance by the Bahamas for the American operators of the 70s and 80s created the new model we ended up with, which is no indispensable dependent on American tourists. Still, a use/use game of I need your dollars, and you need my cheap vacation packages created the tourist industry we see today that is US military base independent.
As it is looking, you may be the one looking a little ignorant and naive.
jamesg30 2 years, 8 months ago
wonderful history lesson on the past professor. No question we created this problem, but there is no way wealthy British filling up the hotels along cable beach would be a sustainable model for growth. No I have the lights on high and I see our product as a cheap quality, over priced experience. Is your book for sale on Amazon?
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