By RASHAD ROLLE
and LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporters
FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said he is concerned that Russian vessels that have been denied permission to land in the United States and Canada have gained entry into The Bahamas.
His comment came after the Cabinet Office urged local institutions yesterday to deal cautiously with transactions involving Russian people and entities who have been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, Canada and the United Kingdom.
“The matter of sanctions was discussed extensively by the government today, and we are in consultations with all our partners and stakeholders, both domestic and international. This remains an evolving matter,” the Cabinet Office statement said. “We continue to deplore the attack on Ukraine by the Russian Federation.”
Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine has drawn widespread condemnation around the world. The United States has urged The Bahamas to restrict access that sanctioned people and institutions could have to this country’s financial system.
According to reports, some two million Ukrainians have already fled the country since the start of the war, with hundreds said to be dead.
Earlier yesterday, Transport and Housing Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis was unable to confirm reports that several Russian owned tankers were recently re-routed to The Bahamas due to war sanctions imposed against the country.
On Monday, Reuters reported that three tankers owned by Sovcomflot, a Russian shipping company, were diverted to this country.
According to reports, the information was gleaned from vessel tracking data.
When asked about the issue yesterday, Mrs Coleby-Davis told reporters officials were still investigating to see whether any of the Russian tankers had called on one of the local ports.
She said: “I did follow up with my office port controller Wright and we have been checking up to this morning to determine whether there is actually a call in to our port, for them to come into our port but we haven’t had an update yet from the Freeport port so I am not certain if they have actually called in as yet. For them to re-route and lodge here... we would have to determine what the policy position of the government.”
Last week, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said CARICOM is awaiting a decision from the United Nations Security Council before taking a position on whether member states should impose sanctions on Russia.
Mr Davis’ comments came after the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada began issuing sanctions against Russian oligarchs, freezing and seizing their assets.
US President Joe Biden announced yesterday that America will ban the import of Russian oil, liquified natural gas and coal.
Yesterday, Mrs Coleby-Davis said she believed the government will soon decide on a “policy position” in response to the Russia-Ukraine war.
The US Embassy in Nassau has urged The Bahamas to limit Russia’s access to the Bahamian financial system and to restrict this country’s airspace to Russian aircraft.
Yesterday, Mr Pintard said reports that Russian tankers have been allowed to enter The Bahamas are troubling.
“This story is especially troubling due to its assertion that the Russian state-owned Sovcomflot vessels were not permitted to land in the United States or Canada, two of our most influential strategic western allies along with the United Kingdom, but were allowed to do so in The Bahamas,” he said in a statement.
“As responsible members of the international community, The Bahamas must act in concert with its strategic allies and multilateral partners toward rejecting Russia’s illegal and inhumane invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine. As I indicated recently, we need to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine whose territory has been violated and millions of its citizens displaced, and many others dying daily because of Russia’s hostility.
“We call upon the Bahamian government to act more decisively in the interest of sovereignty, humanity and the maintenance of international laws and norms. Despite the associated risks—as a people—we must be found to be standing on the side of principle and legality, and in the interests of humanity.
“As such, the opposition calls upon the government of The Bahamas to elucidate its policy relative to Russia so that the Bahamian people and the international community might know where we stand.”
Comments
bahamianson 2 years, 9 months ago
Oh, so we have a policy on The Ukraine? Yeah, only export 10 pounds of crab and fish . We really think we are important.
GodSpeed 2 years, 9 months ago
"Policy" should be to stay out of it and mind your own business. Neutrality.
Proguing 2 years, 9 months ago
After some of the largest countries in the world (China, India and Brazil) refused to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I doubt that whatever the Bahamas will do will have much impact on "humanity".
tribanon 2 years, 9 months ago
Just another glaring example of the gross incompetence of Fweddy Boy Mitchell and his kissing of Red China's communist arse in all that it is doing to support the criminality of Putin.
Proguing 2 years, 9 months ago
We have to be pragmatic. If we can get Russian oil at a discount, why not take it? The USA is a big producer of oil, so it’s easy for them to say no to Russian oil. However, they have a shortage of Uranium and surprise, there is no sanction on the Russian import of Uranium. As for Europe they are still importing Russian oil and gas.
tribanon 2 years, 9 months ago
Whenever you choose to deal with the Devil, there's always a most serious price to be paid. Germany is a shining example of that today.
Proguing 2 years, 9 months ago
Almost every country in the world buy commodities from "evil" Russia, including the USA. Your car or cell phone probably have some material that came from "Evil" Russia. Are you going to dump your car or cell phone?
tribanon 2 years, 9 months ago
Are you trying to preach defeatism by saying no person is without sin and therefore no person has a choice? That's certainly a defeatist attitude towards life in general. LOL
DDK 2 years, 9 months ago
Must we really have a policy? These politicians should be careful what they wish for! Neutrality would be wise. Why should we be urged to do this or that? It is these very urgings and interferences that constantly lead to unrest and war. Some countries never learn or perhaps simply don't care to learn.
TalRussell 2 years, 9 months ago
Comrades, what I'm about to brung you into alert loop with what may at first sound strange, but…I relied as to its solid credibility source...duh Jib talk's wit authority of a leaked, Top Secret document circling as to exactly what Red Party's Shadow Security Minister, looks for UK Colony's gov to repatriate its Royal Defense Force marines, naval ships and equipments', including helicopters, involved in Abaco's Hurricane Dorian's recovery missions to bolster its defenses against duh invasion involving Russian people and entities and ships landing and docking in Freeport and everything else like this and that, ― Yes?
sheeprunner12 2 years, 9 months ago
Russia & Cuba are aligned .......... So what if we are affected by that alignment?
What if rich Russians are 242 permanent residents ............. etc, etc???????
LastManStanding 2 years, 9 months ago
This past September was the first time in my life that I did not mark my X next to a FNM candidate on the ballot. Judging by what I have seen so far, I won't be doing it again next election either.
We need a "Bahamas First" candidate on the ballot. Getting caught up in conflicts that have nothing to do with us is not something that we should be doing.
ted4bz 2 years, 9 months ago
The US got Iran and Venezuela dead wrong and y’all got in that the wrong way. The US got this Ukraine thing with Russia dead wrong too, they already backed themselves hard into a corner. The future is a mutual partnership with the east. The west as leaders of the global surveillance dictatorship is done. So best y’all save face and stay out of that.
tribanon 2 years, 9 months ago
I guess you don't know that Red China under the rule of the very sinister, ruthless and evil Xi Jinping led Chinese Communist Party is by far the number one global surveillance state on our planet today. This is why the US empire is now crumbling.
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