While citing areas where there is outstanding cooperation between the two governments, Ambassador Rood has frankly told Bahamians that there are grey areas of concern to the US government.
Lawyer Paul Moss was upset that Mr Rood went public with such information. He felt the ambassador should have gone behind closed doors – out of earshot of the Bahamian people – to sort out whatever problems there might be between the two governments.
We compliment the ambassador for being honest with the Bahamian people. Most, Bahamians have lost confidence in their smooth-talking, shadow-boxing politicians. Politicians forget that they are the servants of the people, and have no right to play a game of charades with the truth. They do this country and its citizens a disservice by serving them sugar-coated nonsense to lull them into a false sense of security.
Saying that “there can be little doubt that our bilateral relations are second to none,” Ambassador Rood acknowledged that as in any close relationship, there are areas where there should be closer cooperation. “For example, in the United Nations,” he said, “the strong bilateral friendship we enjoy is not always reflected in common approaches to major international challenges.”
Mr Moss applauded this drift apart between the two nations. In his view it was about time the Bahamas made decisions on behalf of its own people and not under the influence of any foreign power.
Sounds fine, but that uppity attitude can only make sense if a country has an army, navy and airforce to put muscle into such proud words. Otherwise, governments have to face reality and make practical decisions for the good of all its citizens.
Even Foreign Affairs Minister Mitchell, in the days when he was on the outside looking in, recognised the need for good relations with the US.
In April, 1988 Mr Mitchell warned the Pindling government against taking the very stance that Mr Moss would have it take today.
“No Bahamian politician has any right,” said Mr Mitchell at that time, “to put the future of the entire Bahamian people at risk to maintain themselves in power.”
Mr Mitchell said then that unless the Bahamas cleaned up its political act domestically, external pressure was going to continue to be applied by the United States. This statement was made in the wake of the 1984 commission of inquiry report into the peddling of drugs and other corruption.
“All of us as Bahamian citizens,” said Mr Mitchell, “must become more aware of our nation’s foreign policy, particularly as it relates to the United States of America.
“Bahamians generally,” he continued, “want to travel to the United States. We want free access to its facilities, its goods and services. That means that in our relations with them we are at a comparative disadvantage.
“It means that our foreign policy has to be that much more skilful. Anger and histrionics by officials of the Bahamas Government without a concomitant cleaning up of our domestic act will only bring us to further grief.
“It is clear, however,” Mr Mitchell said, “that within the United States government and in the Congress of the United States, the spokesmen for the Bahamas Government have a credibility problem. The problem relates to the issue of official corruption and drug trafficking through the Bahamas.”
Mr Mitchell acknowledged that there was a credibility gap, the US no longer trusted Bahamian officials.
In 1988 Mr Mitchell described the state of Bahamian-US relations as “tense.”
Although Foreign Minister Mitchell who is today on the inside looking out – doesn’t miss any opportunity to assure the Bahamian people of the cosy relations between the two countries, we would suggest that the situation today is the same as it was in 1988 – “tense.”
In 1988 it was tense because of drugs and the fact that, as Mr Mitchell himself said, no steps had been taken by the Pindling government to “sever the connections with those persons within the Bahamas governing party who have this very serious credibility problem.”
Today it is tense because of our voting record in the United Nations.
As Ambassador Rood said “it simply should not be that such good friends, who share so many of the same values, cannot find common ground in addressing human rights violations, seeking peace in the Middle East, and promoting global prosperity.”
We suggest that Fred Mitchell, the 2006 cabinet minister, become reacquainted with Fred Mitchell, the 1988 political activist, and hear from the activist’s own mouth the words: “No Bahamian politician has any right to put the future of the entire Bahamian people at risk…”
Editorial from The Tribune
