thebahamasweekly.com - Bahamas New Foreign Affairs Act foreshadowed

From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Bahamas Information Services Updates
Bahamas New Foreign Affairs Act foreshadowed
By Elcott Coleby, BIS
Oct 30, 2014 - 1:20:11 PM

After the award ceremony, the honourees posed for a photo with the Prime Minister, centre right, with the Governor General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, centre, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Fred Mitchell at centre left, with awardees for exemplary service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The awardees, all smiles and proudly holding their plaques in the front row are from left, Marilyn Zonicle, Dr. Patricia Rodgers and Carl Brennen (accepting the award on behalf of his sister, Sharon Brennen-Haylock) to the far right. Philip Miller, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stands to the right of Prime Minister Christie. In the back row from left are Andrew McKinney, Carolyn Conliffe (accepting the award on behalf of co-worker Carlton Wright) and Sergeant Michelet Merunard. (BIS PHOTO/Peter Ramsay)

Nassau, Bahamas - After more than twenty-five years of preparatory work and planning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made history again during its inaugural Diplomatic Week last week where it was announced that with cabinet’s approval, the Foreign Service Orders (FSO’s) were adopted as official government policy, paving the way for the creation of a finite and discrete Foreign Service alongside the traditional Public Service. The Orders become effective on the 15th December 2014.

It was in 1989 that this transforming work began and a fulfillment of a 2012 election pledge by the governing party in its Charter for Governance. Essentially, under this new regime those who work in the Foreign Service will be governed by Foreign Service Orders and not the rules of the Public Service Commission (PSC). The FSO’s will become a subset of the PSC rules.

“This is a landmark decision for the Foreign Service because it will in fact establish for the first time in the history of the country a discrete foreign service” said the Foreign Minister at a service of thanksgiving at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday as the Zonta Club celebrated United Nations Day.

Also coming out of last week’s meetings was the establishment of a formal system of honours specific to Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recognition of the important and exceptional work of officers and diplomats in the Foreign Service.

On Friday 24th October at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Christie at the Balmoral Club, Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling presented the inaugural medals to Foreign Service officers as follows:

Distinguished Foreign Service Officer Medal: Marilyn Zonicle

Lynden Pindling Medal for Leadership (Service to GG or PM): Andrew McKinney

Paul L. Adderley Medal for Excellence: Sharon Brennen-Haylock

Clement Maynard Medal for Innovation: Carlton Wright

Janet Bostwick Medal for Women in the Foreign Service: Dr. Patricia Rodgers

Foreign Service Bravery Medal: Sgt. Michelet Merunard

The government is scheduled to table a new Ministry of Foreign Affairs Act in Parliament when it convenes on the 19th November 2014 to officially legislate these changes into law.