Bigmo
02-28-03, - 06:55 PM
I have been reading recently, with great concern, the seemingly widening rift between the American Ambassador (and by extension the U S State Dept) and the current Bahamas Govt.
I am a Bahamian who currently resides in the UK, so most of the news I read / listen to concerning the Bahamas is obtained via the internet from the limited Bahamian newspaper websites, Bahamian political tabloid websites, and the one Bahamian radio station (Love '97) that you can still listen to via the internet.
I was home for the Christmas holidays when the U S Ambassador made certain critical remarks concerning corrupt members of the Bahamas Defence Force. I was shocked by the public outcry that his departure from protocal was somehow an infringement on Bahamian soveriegnty. The essence of what he was saying was lost in the soveriegnty retoric.
The US Ambassador's recent comments indicating his inability to see various ministerial officials, his concerns about safety for US officials at both the Nassau Int'l Airport and Freeport Int'l Airport, his frank and public discussions about the possibility of his government's removal of its pre clearance facilities from the Bahamas and the State Dept's recent travel advisory to Americans thinking of visiting the Bahamas (the increased prevelance of crime and drugs in the Bahamas may pose a threat to your safety). These statements, specificially the forum in which they are being discussed trouble me greatly.
There may not be a grain of truth to some of what the US Ambassador/Gov't is saying, but we Bahamians must realise that his opinions carry a great deal of weight with persons in the US who have the ability to crush us as a country, and without ever firing a shot).
I think we Bahamians need to familiarise ourselves with the Monroe Doctrine (principle of American foreign policy enunciated in President James Monroe's message to Congress, Dec. 2, 1823. It initially called for an end to European intervention in the Americas, but it was later extended to justify U.S. imperialism in the Western Hemisphere). This brand of foreign policy remains alive and well today.
We are insignificant to the leaders of the US. They only tolerate us as long as we remember our place, so to speak. As soon as we show them we have a voice, and disagree with them, then we're perceived as arrogant ungratefuls who should be taught a lesson. I fear the lesson will be a dire economic one.
In our short past as a soveriegn nation, we have had persons from both sides of the 'political isle' who seemed to understand this one-sided relationship the US fosters with small black countries of the caribbean. They played the game well, and we prospered as a nation. We now seem to have politicians too niave to play the game, or too filled with self pride that they're willing to let the entire country suffer rather than put their perceived self importance to one side.
We have a symbiotic relationship with America. That coutry is the greatest contributor to our GNP, and in turn we spend virtually all of our hard earned dollars, every chance we get, to export the lifestyle and materialism we see on their television stations back to our shores. Most Bahamians know that the typical American (WASP) don't love or respect us. Most of us know that they resent us for living in a country blessed with beautiful waters and beaches. If only they could find a way to take our land, and kick us blacks out...(if Iraq had no oil do you really think the US would be so anxious to launch a moral crusade to liberate the poor opressed Kurds; what about all those poor black Liberians, Hutus, Zimbabwians etc, when will their moral crusade begin in Africa).
So lets check the pride at the door Mr politician, we will never be seen as equals by the US - so play the game or get the hell off the court!!
I am a Bahamian who currently resides in the UK, so most of the news I read / listen to concerning the Bahamas is obtained via the internet from the limited Bahamian newspaper websites, Bahamian political tabloid websites, and the one Bahamian radio station (Love '97) that you can still listen to via the internet.
I was home for the Christmas holidays when the U S Ambassador made certain critical remarks concerning corrupt members of the Bahamas Defence Force. I was shocked by the public outcry that his departure from protocal was somehow an infringement on Bahamian soveriegnty. The essence of what he was saying was lost in the soveriegnty retoric.
The US Ambassador's recent comments indicating his inability to see various ministerial officials, his concerns about safety for US officials at both the Nassau Int'l Airport and Freeport Int'l Airport, his frank and public discussions about the possibility of his government's removal of its pre clearance facilities from the Bahamas and the State Dept's recent travel advisory to Americans thinking of visiting the Bahamas (the increased prevelance of crime and drugs in the Bahamas may pose a threat to your safety). These statements, specificially the forum in which they are being discussed trouble me greatly.
There may not be a grain of truth to some of what the US Ambassador/Gov't is saying, but we Bahamians must realise that his opinions carry a great deal of weight with persons in the US who have the ability to crush us as a country, and without ever firing a shot).
I think we Bahamians need to familiarise ourselves with the Monroe Doctrine (principle of American foreign policy enunciated in President James Monroe's message to Congress, Dec. 2, 1823. It initially called for an end to European intervention in the Americas, but it was later extended to justify U.S. imperialism in the Western Hemisphere). This brand of foreign policy remains alive and well today.
We are insignificant to the leaders of the US. They only tolerate us as long as we remember our place, so to speak. As soon as we show them we have a voice, and disagree with them, then we're perceived as arrogant ungratefuls who should be taught a lesson. I fear the lesson will be a dire economic one.
In our short past as a soveriegn nation, we have had persons from both sides of the 'political isle' who seemed to understand this one-sided relationship the US fosters with small black countries of the caribbean. They played the game well, and we prospered as a nation. We now seem to have politicians too niave to play the game, or too filled with self pride that they're willing to let the entire country suffer rather than put their perceived self importance to one side.
We have a symbiotic relationship with America. That coutry is the greatest contributor to our GNP, and in turn we spend virtually all of our hard earned dollars, every chance we get, to export the lifestyle and materialism we see on their television stations back to our shores. Most Bahamians know that the typical American (WASP) don't love or respect us. Most of us know that they resent us for living in a country blessed with beautiful waters and beaches. If only they could find a way to take our land, and kick us blacks out...(if Iraq had no oil do you really think the US would be so anxious to launch a moral crusade to liberate the poor opressed Kurds; what about all those poor black Liberians, Hutus, Zimbabwians etc, when will their moral crusade begin in Africa).
So lets check the pride at the door Mr politician, we will never be seen as equals by the US - so play the game or get the hell off the court!!