Parliamentary Debate on the Speech From The Throne: Contribution By The Minister Of Foreign Affairs

Parliamentary Debate on the Speech From The Throne

Contribution By The Minister Of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker

Permit me this opportunity to give thanks first to Almighty God for His grace and mercy which continues to keep me and to the people of North Abaco for affording me the privilege to stand in these hallowed halls where we proudly celebrate—this year—288 years of democracy.

I wish also to extend my profound and heartfelt condolences to the families of Rosemary ‘Mother Mary’ Swain and Rozena Swain both of whom will be laid to rest this weekend. Mother Mary’s son Cedric and I went to school together and Rozena’s husband—Peter Swain—whom we call Petie is a personal friend. I want these families to know that having buried my mother just a short year ago now, that our prayers and thoughts are with them during this their hour of sorrow and grief. God is able.

Mr. Speaker

In rising to contribute to this debate, I wish to say that I have personally thanked Her Excellency the Governor General for her stellar performance in reading the speech from the Throne with unmatched grace and rectitude.  And so, I am happy add my approbation to those expressed toward Her Excellency, Dame Marguerite Pindling for her stellar delivery of the Speech from the Throne.  She has always been and continues to be gracious and elegant in the performance of her duties as well as in her interactions with everyday Bahamians.

I wish also, Mr. Speaker to take this opportunity to congratulate the Honourable Member for Killarney for his resolute and committed leadership of this nation during the recent hurricanes which threatened our country.

After having spent near 36-years in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, I believe that I am eminently qualified to speak to this subject.

Mr. Speaker, I watched with tremendous admiration, and I must publicly admit, pride as the Honourable Prime Minister literally—albeit as expected by individuals in his position—pragmatically pulled together all of the many moving parts and navigated his nation—by the Grace of God—through a challenging set of circumstances.

In the result, he determined to do something that hithertofore had never been untaken in the history of this country. He instructed and actively participated in the management of the evacuation of more than 1200 of his people from the south-eastern islands of The Bahamas, MICAL, and moved them to the determined safe quadrant of New Providence.

He didn’t tell them to take to caves. He feared for their safety and so he acted!

Similarly, Mr. Speaker, as I have stated outside of this place, and the Prime Minister’s principled and right decision to support the Government and people of Dominica—a sister CARICOM nation—in this their hour of need is simply the right thing to do!

Real leaders don’t stick their finger in the air seeking to sense the direction of political winds before taking principled positions. Sometimes political expediency must be abandoned in the interest of doing what is right. Real leaders stand by the courage of their conviction! They run against tremendous odds to achieve what they believe is best for all in the circumstances.

As responsible members of the Community of nations we are expected to do our part as others are expected to do for us. As members of CARICOM, we are obligated to doing all we can in these circumstances to bring whatever limited relief we can to the people of Dominica.

Mr. Speaker

St. Thomas Aquinas defined the virtue of “mercy” in his work Summa Theologiae (ST II-II.30.1) as “the compassion in our hearts for another person’s misery, a compassion which drives us to do what we can to help him.”

That said, it would be remiss of me if I also failed to thank the senior staff of my ministry for their stellar performance during the recent hurricanes. They maintained watch as good soldiers until the storm had passed ensuring that we remained in a position to seek external assistance and enquiring about the safety of Bahamians wherever they may have been found. It is an honour to serve alongside the Bahamian professionals and patriots, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

As the primary advisor to Government for the formulation, coordination and conduct of foreign policy, I have determined that strategic planning with the objective of advancing our national interests is crucial to the sustainability of our diplomatic relationships with our bilateral partners and international organizations.

Therefore, the letter and spirit of this all that is contained in the Speech have been fully embraced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and plans are fully underway towards implementation of those aspects within the terms of reference of the Ministry.

The Bahamas’ foreign policy is inextricably linked to our national development objectives.   Therefore, both our headquarters based offices and overseas offices – the Embassies, High Commissions, Missions to International Organizations and Consulates General – will have to look at the way they work through different lens.  The work of the Ministry is further supported by a number of Honorary Consulates in the USA, Europe, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Ministry is constantly tested by a demanding public, and it is a test that we cannot afford to fail.  We will succeed by having in place mechanisms to ensure delivery of service in a professional and timely manner.

Mr. Speaker

The ongoing professionalization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is uppermost in our strategic planning.  Work continues on the modernization of the Foreign Service, not only to have in place a well-trained and technically sound corps of Foreign Service Officers, but also the tools needed to permit us to engage effectively at the global level and help to achieve on our national development objectives.

The implementation of the Career Path and Salary Scale for the Foreign Service is in the final stages; this is one of the steps needed to attract and retain young professionals interested in the Foreign Service, and in the required numbers.  The Foreign Service, like other specialised occupations of the Public Service, such as in the Ministries of Finance, Financial Services, Tourism, and, the Department of Education, must remain competitive in order to help with the attainment of national objectives.

As part of our strategic plan for a modernized foreign service, the acquisition of a multi-purpose building suitable to serve as the Ministry’s Headquarters is an imperative that must be realized within this term. It is our that such an edifice will avail to greater efficiency in terms of work output and fiscal savings.

With respect to Foreign Service training and development, we continue to interact with international agencies and bilateral partners to secure access to training and international best practices:

  • The first stage of the Foreign Service Institute was launched earlier this year by the Foreign Service and Training Division, under the leadership of the Division Head and her team of hardworking Foreign Service Officers (FSOs). This first phase consisted of a five week Foreign Service Induction Training Programme for newly recruited FSOs. These young officers are now working in various Divisions of the Ministry and showing great promise.
  • Since the launch of the Institute, , I have engaged in dialogue aimed at securing funding and other resources for the training necessary to transform our Foreign Service into one that works smart.
  • This includes combining forces with partners both domestic and international so that critical overarching matters pertaining to our economy, national security and international footprint can be more effectively realized on the world stage.
  • The Ministry has availed itself of every funded training opportunity for Foreign Service Officers that has been presented to us-some as far afield as India, China, Korea, and others in our hemisphere in Chile, Peru. Were it not for the devastating earthquake in Mexico last week, we would have had an Officer there at this very moment-pursuing training at the Foreign Service Institute there-just to name a few.
  • Discussion with the University of The Bahamas continues towards the goal of making the Institute a full-fledged establishment, capable not only of training serving foreign service officers, but also eventually to attract persons desirous of a career in the foreign service and to train them in studies related to diplomacy and international relations.
  • A Pre-deployment seminar for the soon to be posted Heads of Mission and Consular Posts has been developed to prepare the next cohort of Bahamas Ambassadors and Consuls General for their leadership roles in the formulation and execution of Bahamas Foreign Policy

Mr. Speaker

Paramount among our ministerial and institutional goals is to serve the public with more efficiency.

In order to serve Bahamians more efficiently, we have put in place systems to provide information in a timely manner:

  • Duty Roster Systems, with emergency call numbers (which can be found on our ministry’s official website and Facebook page), are in place both at Headquarters and the overseas offices so that persons in distress or in need of emergency assistance will be able to reach a staff member of the Foreign Service at any hour of the day;
  • Information about the work of the Ministry is updated regularly and quickly on the Ministry’s Website and Social Media pages, as well as providing information to the traditional media in a timely manner;
  • For example, as soon as I returned from my recent participation in the 72nd UN General Assembly, I addressed the press at the airport to report on all that I had done;
  • Furthermore, while I was in NY information was reported to the press and uploaded to the website and social media instantly;
  • The improved way of communicating has proven to be useful in terms of keeping the Bahamian public informed about the work of the Ministry; thereby keeping us accountable
  • It has also served the purpose of providing needed information to the public during emergency or special situations;
  • For example, during Hurricane Irma we kept the public informed about the closure and reopening of our offices in Havana, Miami and Atlanta, and the status of staff members and nationals in those jurisdictions;
  • To make all of this possible is a team of dedicated officers, both at headquarters and overseas, under the leadership of the management team in the Ministry who themselves work almost 24/7 to ensure that the public is served in as timely a manner as possibly. I cannot fail to mention the technical Division Heads who also work diligently to continue improving the way we serve the public.

Mr. Speaker

We in Foreign Affairs must always work toward improving existing diplomatic relations whilst developing new relations. By so doing we position our country to better realize its full potential. When we are operating optimally in Foreign Affairs it should be felt by Bahamians from Grand Cay, North Abaco to Matthew Town, Inagua.

The Bahamas’ foreign policy objective, inter-alia, recognizes the establishment of diplomatic relations with like-minded friendly nations is a key component of this policy.  Establishment of such relations have proven to be beneficial to assist national development by way of accessing much needed technical assistance, vast investment opportunities, tourism, and cultural and educational exchanges.

  • While I was in NY last week, I signed a Communiqué with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia to establish Diplomatic Relations between our two countries, bringing to 122 the number of countries with whom we have diplomatic relations. Furthermore, the Ministry, through its diplomatic missions is in the process of formalizing the establishment of diplomatic relations with some fourteen (14) other countries;
  • From this perspective, as mentioned in the Speech from the Throne, the government will maintain the level of The Bahamas’ participation in regional, hemispheric and international organizations and explore ways to better enhance its position in the international arena. The Ministry will maintain active engagement with strategic partners in the framework of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the Organization of American States, CARICOM, the Association of Caribbean States and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). It would also include our partners on the other side of the Atlantic, including among them, the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the European Union (sub-regionally (CARIFORUM, Nordic Group).
  • The Bahamas was earlier approved by the African Union (AU) to have observer status in that body. While we already have established relations with a number of African countries, we stand to improve the quality of our engagement in the African region through a relationship with its premier body, the AU.  A review is underway in the Ministry to determine how to move practically on such engagement;
  • During my short time as Foreign Minister we have already had an active level of engagement with CARICOM. I have participated in some four (4) meetings of CARICOM Foreign Ministers (COFCOR); these meetings were both virtually and in person.  Almost immediately upon my assumption of duties, as the incoming Chair of COFCOR, I was pressed into duty to lead negations on the situation in Venezuela, on behalf of CARICOM, at a special Ministerial meeting in Washington, DC.  The negotiations, although they did not conclude as anticipated, served to demonstrate that Caribbean countries have an important role to play on the world stage in the preservation of peace, human rights and democracy;
  • I attended shortly thereafter the meeting of the OAS General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico and joined the Prime Minister for the CARICOM Heads of Government in Grenada in July;
  • All of these meetings served strategic purposes for The Bahamas, as we were able to have a number of bilateral meetings in the margins with key partners where we discussed matters of support to be provided to The Bahamas in areas such as security, technical and vocational training and other forms of technical assistance. The Foreign Ministry is now liaising with other Ministries to move expeditiously to access these offers;
  • This is in addition to ongoing other technical assistance and training offers that we already receive from other countries and partners. The Bahamas receives technical assistance from some twelve (12) countries at present. China however, continues to be the largest donor in the area of technical assistance.  In the 2017 calendar year, we were the recipients of  14 full term scholarships and 60 short term courses thus far, and I take this opportunity to thank the many donor countries who have continued to offer assistance through training opportunities for countless Bahamians. This continues to play an integral role in the development for Bahamians in the public as well as private sector.  Studies have been pursued at the Bachelors, Masters and PhD levels, and in a wide range of disciplines relative to our national  objectives in areas such as agriculture, engineering, medicine, art-broadcasting and management science;
  • As we receive offers of assistance from various countries, organizations and groupings, the Ministry will continue to share them with government ministries, private industry as well as all schools and universities throughout the country and encourage Bahamians to make good use of these offerings;
  • Foreign Service Officers, as mentioned above, have received training in diplomacy and international relations from institutes in Mexico, Chile, Netherlands, India, Korea and others;
  • The Bahamas will assume the Chairmanship of the COFCOR as of May 2018, which will further enhance our participation in the global arena.
  • Our objective will be to strengthen and deepen our diplomatic relations around the globe; to foster our national security-particularly of our maritime boundaries through delimitation and bilateral arrangements to curtail incursions that have hithertofore occupied a tremendous drain on our resources, both human and financial;
  • We will continue to advance ideas about actions and measures to be taken to tackle issues of vital importance such as climate change, global warming, sea-level rise, crime and arms and human and narcotrafficking and we will seek the full support of our global partners and Bahamians abroad. I made the case for this during my various interventions at the UN General Assembly, as well as the General Assembly of the OAS;
  • I also spoke to the matter of a much needed revamp of the use of per capita GDP/GNP as the determinant to measure the wealth of a country; this highly skewed matrix does a disservice to a country like The Bahamas that is small and vulnerable to exogenous shocks which could overnight wipe out years of development planning;
  • Sustainable Development has dominated the international conversation in recent times. The Bahamas along with the other 192 members of the United Nations adopted The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015. The 17 pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals have been incorporated into the Bahamas’ National Development Plan, Agenda 2040.
  • The Bahamas, through the close collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Economic Development and Planning Unit (EDPU) has made tremendous strides in the area of Sustainable Development by, inter alia, active participation a number of robust international initiatives. The country has benefited from international assistance to aid in the execution of the country’s National Development Plan (NDP).
  • Through ongoing participation in a such fora, as well as through increased engagement with international organizations, the country has been successful in securing technical assistance in the form of a grant from UNDP in the amount of $30,000 to facilitate the development of a Sustainable Development Goals Country Report. Additionally, The Bahamas has received technical assistance from the Government of Germany and the German Society for International Cooperation through UN ECLAC, to assist with the development of the country’s Voluntary National Review to take place in 2018. The purpose of the Voluntary National Review is to show the progress that the country has made thus far in implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its experiences during the implementation stages;
  • The Bahamas relies on development support for the achievement of its goals and objectives, and to some extent we also give support to other countries in those areas where we have recognised expertise and competence. We experienced destruction as a result of Hurricane Irma, and our Tourism product remains largely intact.  However, but for the grace of God, The Bahamas could have had the extreme type of devastation and loss of life  that took place in Dominica, Barbuda, Turks & Caicos and other parts of the region.  Last year in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, PM Skerrit, the then Chair of the CARICOM Heads of Government led a team of persons to visit The impacted areas of The Bahamas, and thereafter advocated for assistance to be given to The Bahamas.  This year, PM Mitchell of Grenada, the current Chair of CARICOM Heads did the same in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and was part of the effort to arrange the convening of a High Level Donors Meeting at the United Nations just a few days ago.  A meeting in which I participated and I informed the global community of what had happened in The Bahamas; part of my speech was referenced in Time Magazine online.
  • I left that meeting with commitments of financial and in kind support for the Caribbean, inclusive of The Bahamas, from countries both large and small, as well as from agencies of the UN.
  • We cannot afford to be selfish or myopic in our view of the world. It is clear that we live in an environment based on trust and reliance in each other to build our strength.  CARICOM and the countries of CARICOM are invaluable partners in helping us to become better.

Mr. Speaker

The Bahamas has representation by our honorary consuls in 28 countries around the world. These honorary consuls, who services are performed on a voluntary basis, provide an additional source of representation for the Bahamas where embassies, consulates or high commissions are unavailable.

The main functions of the honorary consuls are to assist Bahamian nationals in distress traveling or living within their jurisdiction, in addition to attracting potential new investments for the country. In the near future it is the government’s intention to increase the list of the honorary consular corp. and thus expanding the reach of assistance and investment opportunities. This would also allow for an increase in the level of protection afforded to the thousands of Bahamians traveling abroad.  Some of these individuals are performing more effectively than others.

Therefore, a review is currently underway in the Ministry to determine if:

  • we are getting the best service possible from our Honorary Consuls
  • we have Honorary Consuls placed in jurisdictions that are of strategic value
  • we need to establish Honorary Consuls in new jurisdictions

I thank the Honorary Consuls for the invaluable service they provide to The Bahamas.

 

Engagement with the Bahamian Diaspora

Further, our efforts, as mentioned in the Speech, the Government will focus on initiatives that develop our involvement with and inclusion of the Bahamian Diaspora. Steps have already been taken within the Ministry to support this objective:

  • Under the Office of the Director General a team of talented FSOs is being composed to prepare an action plan for engagement with the Diaspora. The Ministry will work in close collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister and other relevant Ministries to implement the action plan;
  • A message has already been sent out to all of the overseas offices asking them to update their data bases of nationals in their jurisdictions and to provide information as to how they currently engage with the Diaspora and their views on how to improve such engagement;
  • A Register of the Diaspora and a Skills banks is to be established in all Overseas Missions to maintain a data base of information for easy access when needed;
  • I had the pleasure to join the Prime Minister when he travelled recently to Atlanta and met with over 100 members of the Diaspora there;
  • This was followed by my meeting with the Bahamian Diaspora on 22 September 2017 during my recent official visit to New York to attend the 72nd UN General Assembly, attended by some 60 or more persons;
  • On both occasions, I was pleased to see the e wide range of skills and expertise represented in the Diaspora such as medical and health profession, judicial, academics, banking and financial services, information technology, arts and culture. I was equally pleased to see the many students pursuing degrees at all levels – Bachelors to PhD;
  • I expect in the coming days that there will be further engagement with Diaspora in Washington, DC.

The Diaspora is a rich talent pool from which we can draw to contribute to nation building. Members of the Diaspora, as you can see represent a wide scope of disciplines that, if they were to return to The Bahamas, would make a viable and enormous contribution to the further development of the country.  The reality is that many among them are not really able to re-establish themselves in their places of birth, either because of obligation or capacity. Nevertheless, I was quite pleased at the indicated interest to be in touch with their Bahamian roots and many of them who would wish to return home to make a contribution.   To accomplish this, there has to be incentives and clear terms of references to attract these skilled persons, as many would be called upon to up-root their lives after living many years in the various jurisdictions. The Government has to be prepared to remunerate them in accordance with their skill sets and level of expertise. Hence, the government must be very transparent in its articulation with respect to the role to be played and contribution to make; as well as financial remuneration.

The role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard, is to work through our Overseas Missions, bilateral partners and international agencies to establish a mechanism to engage the Diaspora in their respective jurisdictions.  This can be done, inter alia, by way of convening monthly meetings to apprise them of developments in The Bahamas and the opportunities available should they wish to return home.  An annual conference/meeting of the Diaspora in an identified jurisdiction is to also be considered where all views on matters of national importance and their experiences in their respective jurisdictions can be discussed with the outcome focusing on recommendations on the how the government and the Ministry and the Overseas Missions provide assistance.

The Government – through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – should do whatever it can to empower and encourage Bahamians abroad to promote The Bahamas as an eager and full participant in Caribbean and international affairs.  This can be achieved by individuals joining, speaking at and otherwise contributing to various foreign-based cultural and civic organisations of international citizens.

The Ministry would utilise its public affairs capabilities to showcase, both locally and internationally, such participation.  This would also have the effect of improving diplomatic relations with the various partners as Bahamians are seen to be active in their bilateral affairs (think Sister-Cities type engagements and mutual assistance in areas where Bahamians are strong, i.e. tourism, music, other cultural)

National Security & Delimitation

In this region, interdependence in matters of national security on the high seas ought to be supported and encouraged.  If there are vessels in our waters engaged in or witness to illicit activity – poaching, human or drug trafficking or other activities injurious to The Bahamas, we should be in the type of relationship with our partners, where they will immediately inform Bahamian authorities about what is happening.  We already have this level of cooperation with the USA in the form of OPBAT and Cuba in the Comprehensive Maritime Agreement. The Bahamas and Cuba late last year concluded a 4th Round of Migration Talks, and the OAG is now in the process of finalizing the MoU to bring into effect what was agreed by both sides.

We are now in the process of shoring up our cooperation in similar fashion with Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to put in place a CMA and Navy to Navy Agreement.  I met with the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic while in Cancun and had extensive discussions towards this end.  We will soon convene meetings at the technical level to commence dialogue on improving our cooperation in the area of security, as well as in other areas.

The Ministry will continue to work closely with the Ministry of National Security, the Office of the Attorney General, the law enforcement agencies and other relevant sections of the Government to ensure safety and security within and around our borders.  As such the Legal Division of the Ministry is providing input on a Crime Management Agenda and participating actively in the inter-agency Committees on Trafficking in Persons and Migration

This Government is committed to a holistic approach to governance, ensuring that a comprehensive approach to all of the challenges that face us are met with resolve. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ primary objective is to ensure that the foreign policy of this government is articulated and advanced in the international arena to bring tangible benefits to The Bahamas and its people. While at first blush the issue of maritime delimitation may not appear to be one of great national significance, it is a critical and foundational issue that has far reaching implications. The establishment of maritime borders creates a degree of legal certainty that will allow The Bahamas to full express its jurisdictional authority over and govern its maritime space in manner that will strengthen security and advance sustainable growth and development.

To date The Bahamas has concluded a maritime delimitation agreement with the Government of the Republic of Cuba. On 26th -27th April 2012, The Bahamas commenced negotiations with the United States of America with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial maritime border. My Ministry is committed to the furtherance of these negotiations and as such on 30th -31st August 2017 my Ministry coordinated an inter-governmental workshop which brought together technical experts from all of the relevant government agencies to chart the way forward for The Bahamas as we seek to re-engage in the near future with the Government of the United States of America in this area of shared mutual interest.

We will also shortly have talks with the US on putting in place a Memorandum of Understanding to concretize the cooperation we already have with the Coast Guard on Search and Rescue.

 

Improving Passport and Consular Services

Work continues to provide effective and efficient delivery of passport and consular services.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is proud of the accomplishments in the delivery of passport services which has seen unprecedented levels of improvement since the roll out of the new ePassport system in January of this year. The Ministry remains committed to the continued improvement of passport services therefore looks forward to working smoothly with all other government agencies involved for the fulfillment of this goal.

The Consular Division of the Ministry is expending all efforts to ensure effective collaboration with all Missions and Embassies, so as to guarantee that the relevant and necessary services rendered to our Bahamian nationals, all around the world. To this end, an “upward, onward and togetherness “ programme of action is being devised to foster the relationship with Bahamian workforce and student population overseas.  A love for, and the sustainability of one’s country with pride, will be birthed with the Ministry’s Consular Division playing a pivotal role in the execution of this new profound initiative.  The Ministry has particularly taken note, after the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maia that it is imperative for us to know where our Bahamian population resides within a world that’s getting smaller and smaller each day.  We stand by the motto – “wherever you are in the world you will be proud to be a Bahamian”.

In the implementation of national goals and objectives, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must have a seat on all relevant Inter-Ministerial and Inter-Agency Committees in the Capital.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Missions Overseas should be seen as a trusted partner in the active engagement between national and Diaspora stakeholders with a view either to presenting proposed action plans to the Diaspora stakeholders or presenting the concepts for the active contribution and participation of the Diaspora stakeholders.

In particular, we need to work closely with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Financial Services, The Bahamas Investment Authority, and the Chamber of Commerce to invigorate the work of the existing Mission in Asia, in the first instance and to benefit from more direct trade and investment.