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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Foreign policy must be at the
forefront of the national conversation, there must be a dedicated
robust dialogue as many Bahamians remain fractured on many foreign
policy issues. We have to articulate Bahamian's foreign policy attitudes
with a degree of candour as it is profoundly driven by fear and
anxiety. The initial part of this foreign policy dialogue is
acknowledging that the Bahamas lack a well-defined engagement strategy
in the global community. How do we position the Bahamas, leverage our
foreign policy, protect our national security interest, and secure a
sustainable prosperity with emerging economies while mutual benefiting
from a common interest.
There
is an entirely misguided consensus argued that the Bahamas struggles to
maintain a relationship between China and the United States due to some
fabricated political implications that may be imposed on The Bahamas
from the United States for our deepened relationship with The People’s
Republic of China.The geopolitics of the issue are visible The United
States is strengthening its presence and engagement in Asia and China is
strengthening its presence and engagement with Latin America and the
Caribbean. The politics of that matter are none of our business, our
responsibility is highlighting the importance of our national interest,
strategic interest, especially in the context of the rise of China, and
to maintain our economic interest with western economies in particular
the United States to preserve our shared democratic values. The Bahamas
has always enunciated the importance and the shared benefits of The
United States and The Bahamas bilateral relationship while rationalizing
the potential of an emerging economic relationship with China.
The
immediate concern about the lack of a publicly well-defined foreign
policy or an engagement strategy in a global community makes the Bahamas
vulnerable to domestic criticism and speculation that propels fear due
to our inability to satisfactorily demonstrate and educate the Bahamian
people on the advantages of cooperation with countries. The Bahamas
should continue to support the development of China’s relationships with
its allies and countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. The
Bahamas should also continue to deepen both its strategic and economic
cooperation with emerging economies while mutual addressing the domestic
dynamics and the public perceptions in regards to their relationship
and policies with other countries.
A
proper conversation encourages the critical understanding of the
multiple influences on the formulation, implementation and
transformation of Bahamian foreign policy. To the fullest degree to
restore confidence and trust in The Bahamas involvement in a global
community, perhaps we should engage all stakeholders from the
government, private sector, and the community to illustrate how it
benefits our national interest. For those Bahamians who have a
permissible concern over a possible backlash from the United States over
China's economic and political development in The Bahamas which may
manufacture a strong negative reaction can be addressed with a
China-Bahamas-U. S. trilateral dialogue, which could be used as a
platform to discuss issues of common concern.
We
have a responsibility to explore the economic rationale and strategic
imperative of a beneficial foreign policy agenda from the perspective of
the Bahamas and to promote an understanding of international issues. We
must examine the trade-offs between all countries with the Bahamas and
consider also the impact that increased engagement with other countries
has on domestic growth, development and security. Negotiation with
countries and agreements must be guided with a continued sense of
transparency to address concerns that have been raised and create
greater domestic support.
The
Bahamas foreign policy priorities and focus must be the advocate of
human rights, developing international markets for Bahamians, attracting
productive foreign direct investment that contributes to The Bahamas'
economic prosperity, leveraging our relationship with emerging
economies, strengthening The Bahamas tourism industry, enhancing The
Bahamas global reputation, and identifying and securing educational and
trade opportunities for our county. Those priorities must be the
catalyst to securing our future through our foreign policy agenda.
Foreign
policy is never expected to be a major focus area due to complex
domestic issues. Now it is seen as an instrument arguably, an
indispensable part of The Bahamas national strategy. No government can
ignore the importance foreign policy, certainly not one that has
promised diversifying the Bahamian economy. It is fair to ask whether we
should be concerned about the future Caribbean when dire developments
are threatening the economic interests of The Bahamas.We have
ineffectively leveraged the economic and social diversification of the
Caribbean. If CARICOM is going to work in our best interest, it's
imperative that we act as a regional society. Caribbean nations have to
go from sovereignty to interdependency, from a national interest to a
common interest, from unilateralism to reciprocity, from assertiveness
to respect, from competing blocs to regional networks, from fixed
alliances, to multiple coalitions, from predominance to bargaining for
compromise, and from promoting a singular economic model and political
values to promoting the the coexistence of diverse economic models and
political systems. We have to stress the common interests we share in a
regional society to determine the mechanisms that underpin the way
countries in the Caribbean and people cooperate across borders.
While
many Bahamians remain skeptical of further integration with our
Caribbean friends due to concerns over their lagging economic recovery,
it's tempting for them to focus solely on these disadvantages and defer
themselves from seeing any possible opportunities.We must be responsible
in our foresight not making mistakes in understanding the significance
of building a regional consensus for advancing broader collaboration
that can be pivotal for greater economic and social integration
providing access to new opportunities for promoting development and
increasing regional economic prosperity. This will strengthen the region
economic security along with The Bahamas.
The
Bahamas forming economic alliances with its Caribbean and Latin
American partners are an imperative. Building a stronger economic and
political cooperation must be at the centerpiece of the social and
economic advancement of the CARICOM community. The Caribbean problems
cannot be solved if The Bahamas do not accept its full share of
responsibility for solving it.The Bahamas can not abandon the sense of
regional responsibility despite some of its citizens whom ignorantly
urge them to do so. Many Bahamians have an insular ideology more attuned
to their direct needs and is uninterested of those in the wider region
not understanding that what occurs in the Caribbean eventually will
threaten The Bahamas primary security interests as well as its economic
well-being. Bahamians should never be encouraged to believe that the
Bahamas are immune to the troubles within the region.
CARICOM
has serious issues to address in the region from political, social, and
economic challenges confronting Haiti to the issue of food security,
regional security, global warming, and the sustainability of the
region's Financial Service sector. It's imperative that people of the
Caribbean benefit from the unique economic and political partnership of
CARICOM.The Caribbean collaboratively can become the center of a new
economic system leveraging our human capital and natural resources and
attributes. The Bahamas must show the region how, together with our
partners and friends around the Caribbean, we can create a better, more
secure and prosperous region for all.
Latrae Rahming,
CEO of Bahamaren "Chinese Consultancy Firm
University of International Business and Economics ( Beijing, China) Student Government President"
Disclaimer:
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his/her
private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of
TheBahamasWeekly.com
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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