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Minister of Foreign Affairs and The Public Service, the Honourable Fred Mitchell on Wednesday 24th August, 2005, officially opened in New Providence The Bahamas Global Discovery Colombia Trade Expo. The Expo, which features goods from Colombia, is the brainchild of the Co-facilitators of Global Nexus, a newly-formed Bahamian company, Jeffrey Allen and Charles Kemp III. The young Bahamian businessmen said they discovered the potential of the Colombian market over a year ago when they travelled to the country to pursue the possibility of forging business ties.

Minister Mitchell called the exhibition "unique" and welcomed those who travelled to The Bahamas to participate in it, saying that the Ministry was "happy to encourage any venture, which expands the range of contacts and opportunities for Bahamians overseas". Below is the full text of the Minister's remarks.

Remarks by The Hon. Fred Mitchell
Minister of Foreign Affairs & The Public Service
Exhibition of Colombian Goods
Church of God Auditorium
Joe Farrington Road

I have known Jeff and Charles for a quite a while. I think I say that I have known them since they were young men. I am happy for them today that this project is a success. I hope that my being here this morning adds to that success.

Let me first welcome those from Colombia who have traveled here for this unique exhibition. Within the Ministry we were trying to determine whether something like this had been done before. If it has been done before, then it is still sufficiently rare that this event is special indeed. I hope that the exhibition is successful for those who have come so far to The Bahamas.

We at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are happy to encourage any venture, which expands the range of contacts and opportunities for Bahamians overseas. It is our mission to make sure that Bahamians have these opportunities worldwide and that the passage toward those opportunities is eased wherever Bahamians may go.

The Ministry's remit overseas therefore is also a trade mission. In the next few months, I hope to be able to announce in conjunction with the Minister of Trade and Industry what some of the new initiatives will be in that area. I think that this effort today shows that the horizons of Bahamians are expanding, and I was particularly impressed by a recent announcement made by the new President of the Chamber of Commerce about joining a possible delegation to India in the New Year.

Relations between Colombia and ourselves are good. I have a good working relationship with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and last year The Bahamas was able through the Organization of American States Peace Fund to make a modest donation for the enhancement of the peace process in Colombia for which I received the personal thanks of the Minister. I recently had the honour of meeting the President of Colombia when I represented the Bahamian Prime Minister at a recent heads of Government meeting in Panama.

Further, The Bahamas recently helped to elect the new President of the Inter American Development bank who hails from Colombia.

I hope that all of this together means that those who have come, feel that they have come to a nation that is friendly and welcoming. It is our philosophy that all those who believe in the democratic traditions must encourage legitimate travel and trade and enhance those opportunities with the least barriers. That is what I hope that this exhibition will help in that regard.

So once again let me say that it is a pleasure to be here this morning, and that I wish Charles and Jeffery every success in their endeavours and I hope that our Colombian guests will go home with many orders in their pockets.