Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs

10^th February 2002

COLIN POWELL VISIT

The Progressive Liberal Party supports the regular contact between the Caricom group of foreign ministers and the U.S. Secretary of State. We think that this is a process that should continue, in addition to the various bi-lateral discussions and relationships that take place between the United States and ourselves.

We continue to support the objectives of the forum, namely the improvement of dialogue amongst the nations, and the review of specific issues of mutual concern: money laundering, drug trafficking, the Haitian situation, and the state of our economies since 11 September.

Our difficulty is not with the forum but with the fact that the forum having taken place, the Government has failed to properly brief the Opposition in this country as to what happened within those talks and what specifically will arise from those talks. This is an issue that we have addressed before. We have said that foreign affairs is a matter that should normally result in a united approach amongst all political parties. However, the Government continues to act in a unilateral fashion, without even the courtesy briefing of the Leader of the Opposition of the nature of the talks.

This is even more appropriate now that there is a general election coming in The Bahamas. Within the public service, steps are already being taken to protect records of the present administration and prepare for the next administration. Similarly, at a political level, it is incumbent upon the Minister of Foreign Affairs to arrange a briefing on matters such as the talks that have taken place. We think that this is a serious flaw in this Government’s conduct of the foreign affairs of The Bahamas.

We again call for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to provide the necessary briefings to the Opposition about the decisions that are being made in the area of foreign affairs. In our foreign affairs platform, I have recommended that our approach as a Government will be to keep the Opposition as fully informed as convention allows on all foreign affairs decisions.

HAITI

The Progressive Liberal Party continues to be alarmed at the growing rate of refugee traffic coming into The Bahamas and the steps being taken by the Government of The Bahamas to deal with the refugee crisis. It is our view that while appropriate action is being taken at the level of immigration interdiction and repatriation, the Government is not being proactive enough in trying to lobby the international community to assist in helping to resolve Haiti’s problems, including assistance in ensuring that all rights under all applicable international conventions are honoured.

It is also our view that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has not been provided with the resources to carry out more effective interdiction on the high seas before the refugees reach New Providence. It appears to us that there must be a significant review of the Defence Force presence at Inagua, and an investment in a proper air wing of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to assist in the interdiction efforts.

There also needs to be a more proactive approach within Haiti itself through our embassy in Haiti in seeking to obtain information and intelligence about the smuggling network that is bringing refugees to The Bahamas. It is not enough for the Government simply to raise the Haitian situation at forums such as the discussions with Secretary Powell, without offering a sustained programme of international lobbying on the Haitian situation. What we know is that the unrestrained inflow of refugees cannot continue, and that stronger steps by the Government must be taken to deal with the crisis.

ZIMBABWE

We are concerned that the Government of The Bahamas and Caricom has not issued any statement with regard to the upcoming elections for President in Zimbabwe. The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and the U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell have both expressed concern about the elections that are to be held there on 9 March. The reports coming out of Zimbabwe are that the opposition is being suppressed and that laws are being passed which cripple the ability of the press both internal and international to monitor the elections in that country.

The Progressive Liberal Party made donations to Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF when they were the Opposition party in Zimbabwe. The reports coming out of Zimbabwe today about the suppression of the Opposition are inimical to our values. We believe that free and fair elections must be held, and that our country ought to at the highest international forums urge that restrictions on the press be removed, and that the Opposition be permitted to freely engage in the business of persuading voters to vote for them without undue restraints.

We call on the Government of The Bahamas to urge Caricom to organize a fact finding mission with regard to the situation in Zimbabwe and report back to the people of the Caribbean on their findings and make the necessary representations to the Government of Zimbabwe with regard to our concerns.

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