Minster Mitchell Statement From New York

           Foreign Minister the Honourable Fred Mitchell gave the following statement in New York City about the meeting of US President Bush with the four leaders of Caricom this morning.  These remarks were given in an interview with ZNS Radio and TV this morning. 

           “I think that the meeting today is symbolically important in two areas.  First it is a symbol of the success of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its work for and on behalf of the Prime Minister, Government and people of The Bahamas. 

“The Minister is the agent of the Prime Minister and the Ministry is the agent of the Bahamian people.  It shows that patient and careful work by the Ministry's professional team has brought significant benefits symbolized in the important meeting this morning.

“I wish to thank the Permanent Secretary Dr. Patricia Rodgers and before her A. Missouri Sherman-Peter, our Ambassador to Washington Joshua Sears and Ambassador Paulette Bethel to the UN and  New York Consul General Ed Bethel for their excellent work with their respective teams for making the visit a success.

“Secondly, it symbolizes the fact, which we have known all along, that despite the mischaracterization in the public forum about the state of relations with the United States, the state of relations is obviously good both at the working level and at the political level.  There is no better symbol of that fact than this morning’s meeting. It is clear therefore that The Bahamas under Perry Christie is in capable hands.”