NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas should deepen its relationship with neighboring Caribbean countries in trade and other diplomatic areas, according to former Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes.
Foulkes’ comments came as he addressed the future of the country and the potential to move away from Great Britain and the Crown.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Sir Arthur insisted that when The Bahamas received its independence in 1973 it was like “growing up” to become a full member of the “family of nations”.
He said that with this the country should have had better relationships with states in the Commonwealth and in the region.
“I think that is a mistake,” he said.
“Our destinies are tied together.”
The former Governor General and former Minister of Tourism said if The Bahamas were to take advantage of what the region has to offer, it would have a stronger presence on the global stage.
“The more we could collaborate among ourselves the more we could get together, the more we could arrive at common policies,” he said.
“When we go to the United Nations and all these other international institutions, our voices will be stronger, if it’s not just The Bahamas, but all of CARICOM.”
Sir Arthur insisted that it has been a mistake for The Bahamas not to have a deeper relationship with the other Caribbean countries.
He charged that there is “something wrong” with the country having to import products from the United States that originate from the Caribbean and Latin American countries.
“We should do more to trade with our Caribbean brothers and sisters,” he said.
He furthered that while successive heads of governments have attended CARICOM meetings and participated in diplomatic relations, that has been the minimum with governments returning home with nothing to show.
“We haven’t made the steps necessary to consolidate that collaboration among Caribbean states and I hope we start to do that because the world is changing rapidly in front of us,” Sir Arthur said.
“The geopolitical architecture is changing and it’s going to change even more drastically in the next few decades. I hope we start to do that.”
