Whose Side Are You On, Mr. Pintard?

ABAGAIL CARTWRIGHT DEAN’S BLUE HOLE

I was profoundly perplexed by a video Michael Pintard posted last week. On one hand, he says Bahamians must protect their sovereignty; on the other, he appears remarkably comfortable defending the interests of the United States while publicly questioning his own country.

Who advises Mr. Pintard on foreign policy?

Has he forgotten what happened in Venezuela only months ago, when the United States entered a sovereign Caribbean neighbour and captured its leader? Or Panama in 1989, when American forces invaded and removed Manuel Noriega? Whatever one thinks of Maduro or Noriega, the principle remains: small nations cannot afford to become casual about sovereignty simply because the larger nation involved is our friend.

Mr. Pintard, you are a Bahamian.

If another government questions whether The Bahamas can be trusted as a sovereign partner, that concern does not stop at the PLP’s doorstep. It concerns the Bahamian state—and that includes you.

Transnational crime is nothing new. The Bahamas and the United States have cooperated for decades under both FNM and PLP administrations to combat trafficking and other criminal activity. That cooperation must continue. But partnership does not require submission, nor should legitimate disagreements between sovereign partners become opportunities for domestic political theatre.

These matters are ordinarily handled through serious bilateral engagement, where governments defend their respective interests while preserving important relationships.

Mr. Pintard spent the week attacking HIS government before the world. This is preposterous! Meanwhile, Bahamian vendors at Cabbage Beach are fighting for their livelihoods and place on a beach where many have worked for decades.

Perhaps that is where his voice should be loudest.

Mr. Pintard, stand up—not for the PLP, but for The Bahamas.

-Abigail Cartwright