Left to right: Deputy High Commissioner Ms. Allison Booker, H.E. Mr. Eldred E. Bethel, High Commissioner, Mr. David Morris, M.P., Morecambe & Lunesdale (Conservative) and Chair of the All Parliamentary Group for The Bahamas and Mr. Ian Paisley, M.P., North Antrim, Northern Ireland (Democratic Unionist Party) and Member of the All Parliamentary Group for The Bahamas.
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High
Commissioner Eldred Bethel and Deputy High Commissioner Allison Booker
met with the All Parliamentary Group for The Bahamas to discuss
important matters. The meeting was
the first held since Mr. David Morris, M.P, assumed the Chairmanship of
the All Parliamentary Group for The Bahamas this past year. Mr. Morris
grew up in The Bahamas as his father, Capt. A. L. Morris, who was a
former Director of Maritime Affairs.
High Commissioner Bethel gave a general briefing on the current state of affairs in The Bahamas citing the upcoming Constitutional Referendum on
Gender Equality to be held on 7 June
and the BahaMar project. He also provided an update on the UK/Caribbean
Forum to be held in Freeport, Grand Bahama and informed that Foreign
Secretary The Rt Hon Phillip Hammond will be in attendance.
High
Commissioner Bethel also raised the issue of delays being experienced
in the granting of student visas by the UK High Commission in Jamaica
and expressed the wish for the
UK to perhaps consider re-establishment of an office in The Bahamas or
to provide alternative means to expedite the process.
Mr.
Morris reiterated his commitment to working more closely with The
Bahamas in his capacity as Chair, as well as given his personal and deep
appreciation for The Bahamas. He
offered to assist in highlighting the issues of concern to The Bahamas
with his Parliamentary colleagues and to perhaps seek some assistance in
drug/crime prevention, should The Bahamas Government wish him to do so.
He suggested that consideration be given
by the All Parliamentary Group to a cross-party familiarisation trip to
The Bahamas before the General Elections in 2017.
The meeting concluded with Mr. Morris and HC Bethel agreeing to engage on a regular basis and to enhance relations.