I wish to report to the Bahamian people my return from a most important, high-level global encounter – the World Summit for Sustainable Development - which undertook a comprehensive and detailed review of the serious environmental challenges affecting the world, challenges that can be particularly grave for small island states such as The Bahamas. The WSSD, as the Meeting was referred to, was a United Nations Conference following on the first meeting of its kind held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 – the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

The issues addressed in Johannesburg, including sea level rise, climate change and other natural and man-made disasters, were of such significance for the international community that it was determined to convene a Summit, a meeting that is held at the level of Heads of State and Government, or their Ministerial level representatives. I was pleased to be one of a number of Foreign Ministers who provided political leadership for their delegations to this Summit, representing the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and in that regard, I am appreciative for the confidence placed in me by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet in designating me to carry out this responsibility.

I was accompanied to the WSSD by the Ambassador of the Environment, His Excellency Keod Smith, M.P.; Dr Donald Cooper, Under Secretary, BEST Commission; Rochelle Newbold of the BEST Commission, Rhoda Jackson, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of The Bahamas to the United Nations, and Earlston McPhee of the Ministry of Tourism.  We had the good fortune to be joined, and assisted, by Philip Davis, M.P., who attended the Summit at his own expense.

The Summit in Johannesburg was the culmination of the work of many technical officers, working out of the BEST Commission, and including representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism.  I wish to pay tribute to these persons who have carried the bulk of the work by and for The Bahamas these past ten years. The technical officers who accompanied me to South Africa were proactively engaged in negotiations until the very end, seeking to bridge differences and encouraging dialogue, so that The Bahamas was able to join in the consensus adoption of the Summit’s documents – the Political Declaration and the Plan of Action.

The great optimism and hope that many delegations took to Johannesburg was tempered by the fact that the Summit did not accomplish as much as they would have wanted it to. Notwithstanding, The Bahamas delegation left South Africa pleased that it had played its essential part, that a majority of states did not allow themselves to be frustrated or sidetracked by opposing viewpoints; that most of the political Heads of Delegation recognised the lessons learnt from experience and understood that it was critical to apply those lessons for sustainable development; and that important recommendations were made, which we will endeavour to implement here at home. I reaffirmed this position in delivering The Bahamas Statement and in leading on the Sustainable Tourism issues in the Summit of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

The WSSD was opportune, in that it permitted me to undertake other activities beneficial to The Bahamas, in a cost effective way. I also had the opportunity, while in South Africa, to view first hand the substantive investments that Bahamian national Mr Alphonso Bowe owns around Cape Town, South Africa. It was a pleasure to hear how highly Mr Bowe’s partners spoke of him, and of our country. Mr Earleston McPhee accompanied me on this visit to Mr Bowe’s holdings.

I expect to be in London next month to participate in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Commonwealth Declaration (CMAG), to which The Bahamas was appointed under the previous administration. CMAG requires attendance at Ministerial level twice per year, to review developments in respect of Commonwealth fundamental political values, including democracy, good governance and the rule of law, throughout the Commonwealth.  A number of countries, including Zimbabwe, are on CMAG’s agenda.

In connection with these responsibilities, I took the opportunity to pay an unofficial visit to Zimbabwe on my return journey from South Africa. I was able to obtain first-hand knowledge of the political situation on the ground, which should assist me in meeting The Bahamas international obligation on the CMAG. The Cabinet has approved my participation in the CMAG, as we must uphold the country’s reputation though active participation in this body to which we accepted appointment.

This Summit now leads into the fifty-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly, the General Debate of which takes place 12-20 September 2002 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Although customarily the Minister of Foreign Affairs Heads The Bahamas Delegation to the Assembly’s annual General Debate, on occasions, the delegation is led by the Head of Government.  The Bahamas statement to the General Debate sets out the critical issues for The Bahamas and the international principles to which it will adhere.  The Statement will be delivered on Saturday, 14 September 2002.

The Cabinet has approved my participation in the General Debate, and I expect to be quite engaged during the fairly lengthy period I will be in New York. A number of very important meetings are to be held in the margins of the General Debate. These include meetings of the Caribbean Community’s Council on Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR); Commonwealth Foreign Ministers; CARICOM and the United States and CARICOM and Russia; the People’s Republic of China and the eight CARICOM countries, including The Bahamas, with which it has diplomatic relations; and bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Mauritius and South Africa.

The Congressional Black Caucus also meets this week, and discussions are ongoing for a political statement to be made to that body by a political representative of The Bahamas.

In sum, my visit to Southern Africa was a productive and fruitful one for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. We bring back a Declaration and Plan of Action containing principles to which we are committed so as to protect the way we live, and to further develop our country without damaging our environment, to protect our water supply, our fisheries resources and our plant life.  The Bahamas is a leader in sustainable tourism, and the Declaration incorporates a commitment to further ingrain this concept in the way we do business. Making these commitments a reality is essential to the survival of our planet.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, I am sure I will be speaking to you many times over the next several weeks, as I carry out Government’s obligations in a number of international forums, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth.

Thank you.