The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

DEFENDING Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis' travels yesterday, acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper said former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield did not travel enough.

He also dismissed controversy surrounding the government's purchase of a $192k car for the prime minister, saying he is focused on "significant" issues.

“There are very significant issues that confront us on the international stage and, therefore, the prime minister has taken the initiative to travel the world to ensure The Bahamas has its place at the table,” he said.

“This is an important responsibility. We take our obligation to The Bahamas and the region seriously. The Bahamas and Prime Minister Davis has shown great leadership in the work that he’s doing on climate change, the economy, on investments, on education, on healthcare and innovation.”

Mr Cooper, the acting prime minister while Prime Minster Davis makes an official visit to Botswana, added: “If you would contrast the foreign relations of the FNM when they were in office, we had a minister of foreign affairs who hardly ever travelled. Clearly the work of the minister of foreign affairs cannot be done sitting at a desk in The Bahamas because his responsibility is one of building relationships with countries around the world.”

Mr Cooper compared Mr Davis' travels with those of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

“As he sat at the table with the Vice President of the United States in The Bahamas, as he met and he continues to meet with foreign leaders abroad, the FNM and Prime Minister Minnis sat in the hallway in Washington, DC, waiting to be called in as if they were being called into the principal’s office,” he said.

Hitting back yesterday, Mr Henfield defended his approach to the foreign affairs portfolio.

"I am obliged to remind the honourable minister that the FNM Government was elected in 2017," he said. "We were elected in 2017 and The Bahamas, particularly Abaco and Grand Bahama were devastated by Hurricane Dorian — the worst of its kind ever recorded — and six months later the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world.

"Understandably, international travel was disrupted. I need to say no more on this point.

"Since coming to office this ‘New Day’ administration has travelled to no end with huge delegations. It is not our view that an administration ought not to travel in the interest of the country, but they should have something to show for all their travels.

"And so, the question is what have they to show for the millions of dollars they have spent on travel in just under three years, while ordinary Bahamians struggle to eke out a living in tough times?"