Statement from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Response To The Tribune Headline On the US Report

21 July 2024

The Foreign Ministry has been asked to comment on a headline that appeared in the Tribune of 19th July 2024, which read: “STALLED: US criticises Bahamas over delay to enact laws to help fight corruption”

Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell responded: “The headline and article are misleading in that they extrapolate a few comments from the US report and give the impression of an overall negative picture. Such an assessment of the US report is false.”

The United States Government’s International Trade Administration commercial guides by country and region are released annually. A recent article published in The Tribune extracted several negative lines on transparency and corruption from the Country Commercial Guide (CCG) and the Investment Climate Statement (ISC).

The CCG and ISC, which are aimed at a US commercial investor audience, were largely positive. The ISC stated that “The [Bahamas] boasts a stable investment climate, democratic tradition, respect for the rule of law, and a well-developed legal system.”

The publication of the CSG and ISC does not negatively impact our bilateral relations with the United States. We have always maintained close political and commercial ties with the United States and look forward to expanding those ties.

In fact, for the first time, the Foreign Ministry has posted a Commercial Attaché in Washington, D.C., with a view to producing similar guides for Bahamian investors and attracting a more diverse pool of American investors to the Bahamas.

The government of The Bahamas remains as committed as any other state in this region to ensuring that public funds are expended transparently and with value for money. Cases on that issue are indeed being adjudicated in the courts at this time pursuant to the provisions of existing laws.

END