REMARKS BY MR PETER DEVEAUX-ISAACS, PERMANENT SECRETARY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE 2020 CHINESE SPRING FESTIVAL IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS

The Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd, MP, Minister of Education,

The Hon. Brian Moree, QC, Chief Justice,

Dame Marguerite Pindling, Former Governor-General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,

The Hon. Philip Davis, MP, Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition,

Members of Parliament,

Your Excellency, Ambassador HUANG Qinguo, and Madam ZHENG Chuncao,

Senior Government Officials,

Members of the Staff of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China,

Distinguished Guests, Friends of the Chinese Community, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Good evening.

 

We have come together this evening to celebrate, with the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Community in The Bahamas, the Spring Festival – their Chinese New Year.

 

We are approaching the official end of the Year of the Pig, which also marks the close of the twelve-year Chinese Zodiac cycle of the Chinese calendar, which has a tradition dating back more than 4,000 years. While the official celebration is 25th January, this evening’s celebration will see our friends at the Chinese Embassy and in the Chinese Community preparing for some three weeks of festivities and rejoicing, bringing their families, friends and communities together with a fresh start to the next twelve-year cycle.

 

We all know that Hurricane Dorian savagely struck the northern Bahamian islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. As some have said, despite the severity of the assault, this situation provides our country with an opportunity for our own fresh start – to apply ourselves in the best way possible to rise with vigour from utter destruction towards an environment rebuilt stronger and better. This, we know, can only happen with the assistance of our families and friends from within The Bahamas and our Diaspora, and from those in the international community.

 

We witnessed at the start of this very week a coming together of Bahamians, international organisations and the local and foreign business communities in a forum to raise varied support for the recovery and reconstruction of our affected Family Islands. The Donor Pledging Conference helped to raise successfully well over 1.5 billion dollars, with more pledges to be materialised. Referencing this, on behalf of the Prime Minister here present, and the Government and people of The Bahamas, I wish to thank sincerely the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China, and especially Ambassador Huang and his staff, for the efforts made towards the significant contributions made from the earliest moments following Hurricane Dorian, and for China’s continued support as we seek to rebuild stronger and better. These acts of benevolence demonstrate the friendship and good relations shared between our two countries.

 

Ambassador, Guests,

 

This evening is meant to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the friendship between The Bahamas and China. As such, I wish to highlight and congratulate the People’s Republic of China for the following:

 

  • the upcoming signing of the third Bilateral Agreement on Economic and Technical Assistance Cooperation between our countries, which will continue the commitment to national growth and sustainable development;
  • the recent signing of an Air Services Agreement between China and The Bahamas, September past in Montreal;

 

  • the continued measurable progress, through bilateral and multilateral dialogue, in the areas of education and capacity building, economic ventures, investments, developments in strategic infrastructure, and exploration of each other’s destinations; and

 

  • the awarding to China, through a challenging bid, to host the 18th World Athletics Indoor Championships in March 2020 in Nanjing, a first for this dynamic city. It is my hope to see a strong showing from all of our amazing Athletes, who, through their hard work, hours of training and long strides, have made China and The Bahamas household names in the world of athletics.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It will soon be the Year of the Rat, and more precisely, the Year of the Metal Rat. Like the Metal Rat, an animal who’s resilience and survival can be a lesson to us as we seek continued progress, I am reminded that, “ the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little” (Franklin D. Roosevelt).  As we each grow our country and our national wealth in the company of our national and international friends, let us celebrate with the Embassy and the Chinese Community here in The Bahamas the positive consequences and affluence associated with the Year of the Metal Rat.

 

On that note, Ambassador, Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask that you all join me in a toast to the Chinese New Year 2020.

 

I thank you.