The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis defended honouring Rwandan President Paul Kagame and US Congresswoman Maxine Waters during Sunday’s Golden Jubilee event at Clifford Park.

President Kagame and Congresswoman Waters were awarded the Order of Excellence, a national honours award.

Some have questioned why the Davis administration awarded two foreign dignitaries during the independence celebration.

The leadership of Mr Kagame, in particular, has been controversial because of human rights abuses.

“If you,” Mr Davis said, “go to Rwanda –– talk about ethics –– I gave it to him because of what I felt when I went to Rwanda, what I saw and what he has done, what has been done to bring African unity, bringing people together in his own country.”

“And under our Act, there is a provision for us, for me to recommend to the advisory committee the award of the Order of Excellence, which is designed for foreign nationals and not Bahamians.”

Pressed on whether it was appropriate to recognise foreigners during the event, Mr Davis said: “Yes, I thought it was. I did it because they were here to celebrate with us, and I thought it was befitting to mark that occasion with their presence.”

The list of national honours recipients was released on Independence Day. The highest honour, the Order of the National Heroes, was bestowed posthumously to Dame Doris Johnson, the first woman to seek elected office, the first appointed Senate president and the first to serve in Cabinet.