3rd May 2006

I wish to report to the House on my work over the past week as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Last week in Grenada from 24th to 25th April, I attended the annual meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations of Caricom (COFCOR).  The Bahamas relinquished the Chair in favour of Grenada.  The meeting decided inter alia that following on the inauguration of President elect Rene Preval of Haiti there is to be a special mission of Foreign Ministers of Caricom to Haiti to enable and facilitate the re-entry of Haiti into the Councils of Caricom.

Following the meeting in Grenada, I represented The Bahamas in Barbados at the biennial UK/Caricom Forum from 26th to 28th April.  There were a number of issues discussed with the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw including trade matters.  This was an important precursor to the biennial summit of leaders of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean (EU/LAC) to be held in Vienna, Austria from 12th to 13th May.  At the forum in Barbados a number of initiatives were concluded on security matters, particularly as the region prepares for the World Cricket Cup 2007.

Following the visit to the Caricom/UK Forum, I made an official visit to Antigua and Barbuda at the invitation of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and more particularly the Ministry responsible for Barbuda Affairs.  That visit took place from 28th April to 30th April.  I pledged a gift to the primary school in Barbuda of one thousand US dollars for their use from the people of The Bahamas.  I have also agreed to explore the offering of two bursaries for students from Barbuda at the College of The Bahamas for hotel training that is an important sector in Barbuda.  Further, I was the guest of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
Baldwin Spencer at the Zimbabwe/West Indies cricket match and later taken on a tour of the U.S. 55 million dollar cricket facility that is being built by the Chinese and the Antiguan and Barbudan Government for Cricket World Cup 2007.

I wish to report that the Ambassador to Caricom countries Leonard Archer attended a special COTED meeting.  This is the Caricom Trade Minister’s group.  The meeting was held in Barbados on Saturday, 29th April.  There are a number of important international trade issues that have to be decided by The Bahamas, particularly as it relates to the relations with the European Union.

Next week, I am to represent the Prime Minister as Head of Delegation at the Caricom/Spain Summit in Madrid from 10th May to 11th May.  Following that I am to travel as Head of Delegation to Vienna, Austria at the EU/LAC Summit from 12th May to 13th May.

The Bahamas will also be represented at the inauguration of President Elect Rene Preval at the level of our Ambassador to Haiti, Dr. Eugene Newry.  I should also like to announce that Dr. Newry presented his credentials to the President of the Dominican Republic as Ambassador to that country on the 17th April 2006.

Finally, Mr. Speaker I wish to report to the House that I have brought to the attention of the United States government the concerns and complaints of Bahamian citizens about secondary searches conducted at the ports in Florida by US Customs and Immigration.  U.S. Ambassador
John Rood has indicated by letter dated 27th April that random inspections are performed by the Immigration, Customs and Drug Enforcement agencies in the United States from all over the world, “no one country is the target of these random inspections.  The fact that a flight has been pre-cleared has no bearing on these random inspections at a final destination in the United States.”

I witnessed one of the searches myself, and the reason for my inquiry was because of complaints by various Bahamian passengers about the manner of the searches and the nature of the questions asked.  I would only say that the searches are the right of the American authorities just as we are able to search in this country, and this right applies even though the flight is pre-cleared. Bahamians should note that there is always that possibility. There is also a complaints service that Bahamians can access if they are not treated with the necessary courtesy and respect.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stands ready to assist where these normal mechanisms fail.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.