|
Remarks by
Hon. Fred Mitchell MP
Minister of Foreign Affairs & The Public Service
Official
Opening
Embassy of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Havana, Cuba
Monday 17th July, 2006
I am honoured to
be here in Havana to mark the formal opening of the newest Bahamian
Embassy. I wish to thank you all for coming to this evening’s
reception. This follows years of hard work and months of planning and
preparation. Credit must go to all of my predecessors in office, to the
Prime Minister and my Cabinet colleagues, Parliamentary colleagues and
the Bahamian people for making this a reality. I am happy that some of
them are able to join us here this evening.
I should like to
recognize my Ministerial colleague the Hon. Melanie Griffin, Tennyson
Wells, Member of Parliament, Whitney Bastian, Member of Parliament, Keod
Smith, Ambassador for the Environment and Member of Parliament as well
as a part of the former Select Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Assembly. I wish also to recognize the Permanent Secretary and Head
of the Foreign Service Dr. Patricia Rodgers who led the planning for the
establishment of this embassy.
In particular, I
would like to thank the Ambassador Carlton Wright and his wife Audrey
Wright and their family for all the hard work that went into making it
possible to do what we are doing here today.
Foreign Minister,
I am honoured that you were able to take time out of your busy schedule
to attend this reception. The Bahamas believes that it ought to have
friendly relations with all of its neighbours, and Cuba is one of our
closest neighbours.
Today, I asked our
attaché to plot the distance between Bahamian territory and Cuba and at
its nearest point we could be as close as twenty miles. That means that
in geographical terms we are closer than any other neighbour. The facts
of history and geography mean that we must work together for peace and
stability in the region.
I wish also to
extend greetings to the President and people of the Republic of
Cuba
on behalf of the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of
The Bahamas.
We know that as
time progresses that there is much work that we will do together. There
is the work that we do to prevent illegal migration, to stop people
smuggling and drug trafficking. There is also the technical cooperation
provided by your country in the fields of medicine, agriculture, science
and education. We hope in the not too distant future to be able to sign
a technical cooperation agreement which will provide the framework for
our future co-operation.
I am advised that
in 1994 some 20,000 visas were issued to Bahamians to visit Cuba.
Clearly, this is a country of interest to our citizens. We are here
therefore to look after the interests of Bahamians here in Havana, and
to do so at the highest level of contact and access between sovereign
states, that of ambassadorial level. To Bahamians who need the services
of an embassy, that friendly voice away from home is now here and ready
to formally begin business on 24th July.
I wish to say that
during our visit our delegation has been shown the utmost respect and
courtesies. This has made our stay here most productive.
It is my wish that
the Embassy’s premises will be a beacon of what being Bahamian means to
all who use its services, the values for which we stand.
I wish to thank
the British Government for all of the assistance that they have provided
for our country in Havana over the years.
I am pleased that
The Bahamas is able to join the fraternity of Caricom countries who have
embassies in Cuba. I am sure that the Ambassador looks forward to
working with you all.
Once again, I
thank you all for coming and we look forward to working together for the
betterment of relations between the two states and for peace and good
relations amongst all the nations of the world.
-- end --
|
