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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Bahamas Information Services Updates Foreign Affairs has been my life’s work in public policy and one hopes that the efforts that are being made in foreign affairs, and observances like this one will ensure a greater understanding of where The Bahamas sits on the world stage. It is a truism in this context that no man is an island. This observance today comes at the end of an interesting, symmetrical period in the foreign affairs of The Bahamas. We have just completed diplomatic week with a reception at Government House. Some 23 diplomats, heads of mission came to Nassau for the week, representing 23 countries. We were joined by the representatives of the resident corps here in Nassau: the United States, China, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti and San Marino. We were also joined by those who represent their countries as part of the honorary consular corps. I believe that the week was a success and we look forward to another week next year. During the week, we also announced that Foreign Service Orders have been adopted by the government and are expected to come into force on 15th December of this year. 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. On Friday 24th October, Dame Marguerite 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 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 I wish to congratulate them all. We marked United Nations Day on Thursday 24th October with all of these diplomats in town. The week began with the International Cultural Festival led by Janet Johnson at the Botanic Gardens. This was a festival that was initiated by one of my predecessors Janet Bostwick to mark the 50th anniversary of the UN. It has continued in 18 further iterations since that year in 1995. Next year we will mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. Our Prime Minister is expected to go up to give the national address to mark the occasion. We will be able to report our successes in reaching the millennium development goals and report what we wish to achieve in the post 2015 agenda. I hope that next year we will be able to report that women will have equality in the law of The Bahamas next year. I hope that Zonta is committed to helping to bring that about. That too will be a landmark accomplishment. Indeed one of the reasons I called the names of the people who helped to organize our diplomacy is to show you the number of women who helped to bring this all about. They should not be second class citizens in our country. It remains only for me to say thank you to you for organizing these observances. I leave you with this: now more than ever we need the United Nations.
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Nassau, Bahamas - The following are remarks made by Hon. Fred Mitchell MP at the
Zonta’s United Nations Day Celebrations on
Sunday 26th October, 2014
at Christ Church Cathedral: