REMARKS BY THE HON. FRED MITCHELL

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

            It is good to see all of you here today.  This is the third occasion that I have had the honour to welcome you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for this Christmas occasion.  Let me say "Thank you" to Ambassador-designate Carlton Wright and his entire team for their tireless work in making this year’s event the success that it is.

  I say a special welcome to my godfather, Levi Gibson, who is here today at the age of 91 and going strong.

Christmas is a time of reflection.  It is a happy time but it can also be melancholy, in that, mixed in with the happiness is some sadness of those who have left us over the years and gone on to a better life.  In this connection, I remember my mother whose birthday would have been today. I also ask you to join me in expressing condolences to Alma Adams, the Consul General in Miami who lost her sister yesterday just after 5 p.m.

I wish to offer my sincere thanks to all the work done by the Permanent Secretary, the officers and staff of the Ministry for all their work during the past year. I look forward to another year of hard work for and on behalf of the Bahamian people.

It is especially good to see our colleagues from overseas here with us today. I welcome Consul General Ed Bethel and Ambassador Eugene Newry.

            I expect that we will have a good time this morning. Let me say that I expect that this Ministry will work ever more aggressively for and on behalf of the Bahamian people and their interests over the year 2005.

Finally, it is a special pleasure to say a word of welcome to Rev. Angela Palacious.  I don’t know if you know the theory behind the movie, "Six Degrees of Separation."  The theory is that each person in the world is separated from the other by a maximum of six people. Thus, six degrees of separation.

Angela Palacious and myself have a special tie in history that predates today, and which also is a link to someone else in this Ministry, thus the Six  Degree of Separation.  In 1969, we both went on a visit to the United Kingdom, studying for a few weeks at the University of North Wales in Bangor, and then on to the continent.  Our chaperone for that occasion was the then Miss Ann Cowper-Greene.  Ann Cowper-Greene later married Bonaventure Dean, and they later had a daughter,  Jerusa Dean, who works here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I call these, "Dickensian moments."  You know, life is very much like a Dickens novel.  It is usually a long history with many twists and turns and surprises-pleasant ones most of the time.

That said, I wish you all the best in the Christmas season.  And I extend on behalf of  the Government a wish for a happy holiday to all of our officers here and abroad, including honorary consuls overseas and the very best in this season. I hope that next year goes well for us all.