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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the Rt Hon. Perry G Christie and Robert F Kennedy Jr on January 19th, 2013. Photo: Azaleta Ishmael-Newry for The Bahamas Weekly
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Nassau, Bahamas - Remarks by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie at the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of the visit of president John F. Kennedy to The Bahamas on Saturday, January 19th, 2013:
Protocol having observed, I wish to welcome you all to this ceremony to unveil yet another plaque commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the historic visit of President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
On 21 December 2012, on this very spot, we celebrated the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, the only sitting American President to visit The Bahamas in an official capacity. Today, one month later, we return to this historic site to continue those celebrations, on this occasion however, with the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, Mr. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to whom I wish to extend personal greetings and a warm welcome to The Bahamas.
President John F. Kennedy has been lauded for his visionary leadership both in the USA and on the international stage. He is to be remembered for the advancement of civil rights as he continually fought against discrimination and inequality among peoples, and indeed this was a remarkable stance for a President during that period.
Notwithstanding that his visit had an overt militaristic tone with the discussion being the establishment of a nuclear missile system with the British to counter the mounting Soviet threat, fifty years later we can say that his strong stance was one of the pillars of lasting peace among nuclear powers.
This peace, though fragile, formed the foundation of social, economic and intellectual development throughout the world, leading to enhanced opportunities for all peoples in the Western world, and the spread of democracy throughout the Americas.
The President was one of the key initiators of this new technological age, as he provided both political and financial support to the development of information technology and the Space Age. This scientific explosion led to the creation of the International Space Station, and to various inventions used in medicine, communications, transportation, and even in our homes.
Since our Independence in 1973, we have witnessed, and welcomed, the further growth and deepening of relations between the United States of America and The Bahamas, both bilaterally and in the international fora. The Bahamas has been the beneficiary, of among other things, OPBAT, a collaborative effort in national security between United States, The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands; the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) used for advanced research; and the United States pre-clearance customs and immigration facility.
We are all aware that most of our students pursue tertiary education in the United States, and most Bahamians who take vacation abroad, do so, in the United States. The Family Islands are also recipients of the generosity of winter residents from the United States.
Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the Rt Hon. Perry G Christie Photo: Azaleta Ishmael-Newry for The Bahamas Weekly
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Today begins another chapter in the development of solid, mutually beneficial relations between our two Countries. The visit of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a passionate activist and environmentalist, to The Bahamas is especially significant, as he is able to join in the celebrations of the legacy of his late uncle.
Recognizing the challenges of environmental issues in our two Countries, I wish to applaud your laudable efforts, Mr. Kennedy, toward the conservation of natural resources and ensuring a clean and safe environment for future generations, particularly in the marine environment.
All of mankind are trustees and stewarts of the environment globally not only for ourselves but also for generations yet unborn.
Indeed, I am advised that many countries are now seeking to incorporate basic environmental protections into their national constitutions as part of the menu of fundamental rights and freedoms. Whether we go that far or not, however, the basic fact remains that as stewarts and trustees of this planet we must all positively respond to the imperative of doing all that we can to protect our planet against environmental destruction or degradation. This applies not only to the land upon which we walk but the seas in which we swim and in which all manner of marine life depend for their sustenance and life.
Bobby Kennedy by his own life and example is a role model of what it means to be a front line soldier in the cause of environmental protection. And he brilliantly demonstrated this in our own country when almost 12 years ago he volunteered for frontline service in the popular struggle to save Clifton from commercial devastation.
I want to recall his role in that struggle and to publically thank him for the part that he played in helping to stop what the former Government had proposed for that most scared of all spaces on this Island.
This also demonstrates how important it is for the citizens of the world to look beyond their own national boundaries as Bobby Kennedy did in 2001 – to help to promote the cause of environmental and cultural preservation which are so critical to the perpetuation of life on this planet.
It is sincerely hoped that this visit for you is one of many to our islands, and this very historic site.
I wish also to pay tribute at this time to your late father a tireless fighter himself for the rights of men and women who was tragically gunned down, within months of the death of another drum major for freedom the late Dr. Martin Luther King whose birthday will be marked on Monday. I pay my respects to them both and to their life's work. In this our fortieth anniversary of our Independence, I am pleased to be able to attend on this occasion.
May these trees planted here just one month ago along with these plaques, continue to remind us of the significance of the visit of President John F. Kennedy, his spirit, vision, and his legacy.
May God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and may God bless the United States of America.
© Copyright 2013 by thebahamasweekly.com
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