Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank on behalf of the Government all of the speakers
who have contributed to this debate and the quality of the contribution
to the debate. Please be assured that all that has been said here
has been duly noted and every attempt will be made to consider all of the
points raised.
I wish to say for the record Mr. Speaker that the Government will support the Committee. The Select Committee is part of the platform of the Progressive Liberal Party in the last General Election. The idea is to use the select Committee to build public consensus on foreign affairs issues.
Mr. Speaker, as you know there is now a Committee of the House that is dealing with the question of the rules of the House. In the Canadian Parliament, there are rules that create standing committees that shadow each Ministry of the Government. There is a similar practice in the British Parliament. As I understand it, it is the intention that eventually the rules of the Bahamian Parliament will evolve to have standing Committees like those of the Canadian Parliament.
In the mean time, however, the work of the Government must proceed. And central to the development of public policy is building consensus on national issues. The Chair of the Committee and its members will have the responsibility of reviewing from time to time the work of the Ministry and its mission. This can include both hearings in camera and in public. And the Government will make available its officers to provide information to the Committee at its request. The Committee as you know has powers to compel witnesses and it has the usual protection and immunities of all House meetings. Witnesses have the usual right to protect against self-incrimination . But it is not expected that these matters will be contentious, and this is largely being given by way of information
Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the Committee will be able to review as a matter of importance the question of our relations with Cuba and whether or not there ought to be a Consul General in Havana and a resident Ambassador in Beijing. I have already indicated what our preliminary view is and I will come back to these points but we believe that there ought to be public consensus on this and we hope that by the Committee examining these issues that consensus will develop.
Mister Speaker, it is my desire to reshape the way the Ministry works and responds to the public that it serves. It is my hope that the Ministry reviews its approach so that every thing that is does is sensitive to its external environment. The policies that we implement and develop affect people. The Bahamian people should support those policies. To do that, they must understand the policies. To do that they must be fully informed. That must be the watchword of the Ministry accessibility to the public.
We have a civil society consult group meeting at the Ministry every month. That is going well. We shall shortly have a web site for the Ministry.
Mr. Speaker you also know that there is to be a Council on Foreign Relations. The parameters of that are being worked out as we speak and we trust that this will be developed soon and presented to Cabinet fro its approval.
The Bahamian people are now very much more interested now in foreign affairs. This morning, I read with interest the following public announcement by the United States Ambassador to The Bahamas. As you know, I have adverted several times to the consternation and discomfort of some of our citizens on what many think is a novel approach to diplomacy. I am not discomforted by it but I acknowledge that many Bahamians are.
The fact is that we enjoy excellent relations with the United States of America. The Bahamas and the U.S. cooperate on many bi-lateral and multi-lateral issues. It is a good relationship on an official to official and people to people level. They are our largest trading partners and they are also the largest source of and contributor to the tourist trade.
Some Bahamians have called this morning and before about the position of The Bahamas on Iraq. I need only remind them that on 14th September, The Bahamas gave its intervention at the United Nations on all matters that touch and concern international relations.
I wish to repeat the policy on Iraq which is a policy that is not specific to Iraq but to all international dispute. We stand in concert with our Caricom partners that we support the United Nations and the resolutions of the United Nations. We are bound to follow United Nations resolutions. Any policies that are pursued with regard to enforcement of United Nations resolutions ought to be pursued through the United Nations. That is our position with regard to all international disputes, even those that arise on a bi-lateral level. The international structures are there and they ought to be employed.