Minister of Trade and Industry, Leslie Miller, warned German investor Harald Fuhrmann to refrain and desist from casting negative aspersions on the government, The Bahamas and its people during their quest to uplift citizens that are less fortunate.
“Why would this guy try and take bread out of the mouths of Bahamians when his living here?” Mr. Miller questioned on Thursday.
Mr. Fuhrmann referred to Mr. Miller in a local daily as a “worldwide traveling parasite,” and claimed that he (Mr. Fuhrmann) was campainging to have European aid for hurricane relief diverted from The Bahamas. Mr. Miller recently returned to the capital following a week-long EU meeting in Brussels, Belgium, to solicit further funds for The Bahamas hurricane relief.
Mr. Miller said Mr. Fuhrmann is not in tune with the caveat of the EU and the ACP (African Caribbean Pacific Rim)Agreement that is in place. He said The Bahamas is certified as a developing country under the EU and is eligible for funding and grants.
“I find it incredible that someone who lives amon us, and obviously who has received some benefits as a guest in our country, could be so bold and blatant in his attempt to take away economic benefits from the ahamian people that they have every right to.
“I don’t know what his man problem is, ut obviously he has a serious problem.” Mr. Miller said.
Mr. Miller said Mr. Fuhrmann continues to attack The Bahamas on his website and is allowed to get away with it. The government, he said, has not expelled Mr. Fuhrmann from the country, nor has it made him persona non grata.
“He has all the privileges of everyone of us that lives in our fair land and yet he chooses to degrade and degenerate the good name of our people and our country.
“My advice to this gentleman is maybe he should catch the next flight out of here and get hiself a one way ticket. I am gravely concerned about his efforts to try to influence the EU> He can’t do it. He does not have the capacity,” Mr. Miller said.
Accodring to the Trade and Industry Minister, the EU ACP Agreement is “enshrined in stone” and was established to assist countries in the region and throughout the world; therefore Mr. Fuhrmann was wasting his time.
“If he believes that he has one iota of influecne on the EU in trying to get the union not to provide to the Bahamian people the grant funding that is enshrined in the Cotonou Agreement, he is wrong,” Mr. Miller said.
Under the Cotonou Agreement, The Bahamas along with other countries in the Pacific Rim and Africa, receive assistance from the EU on a five year basis. Over the past 25 years, The Bahamas and the Caribbean have benefitted from the Agreement via the issuace of direct grants.
Mr. Miller concluded that Mr. Fuhrmann was displaying “poor statemanship” by being a guest in The Bahamas and warned him to cease with the comments that would “bring down” the country.
“It is not fair, it is not right that you are a guest in my home and you continue to degrade me on a continual basis. The Bahamas has every right to get whatever benefits the Union has decided to provide to our people and I would beg him to be very careful of how you try to put a bad name on our country and our people.
“I don’t care what his problem was. I would hope that whatever his problem was, it would have been dealt with, with the proper authorities. If someone took advantage of him, then there is recourse, but discontinue attacking our country. It is not fair,” he said.
Tamara McKenzie, The Nassau Guardian
