Prime Minister Perry Christie said that the structural work on the High Commissioner’s residence in London, which was delayed for over four-and-a-half years, is being done at a cost of nearly $247,000.
“This necessitates the high commissioner living in temporary accommodations until those repairs are done,” the prime minister said at the formal announcement of heads of mission and consular services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
Last year, Prime Minister Christie announced that His Excellency Ed Bethel had been appointed The Bahamas’ High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
The prime minister noted that London is a very expensive place to live and, as unfortunate as cost is, the government must do everything within reason to maintain the country’s presence overseas.
“No one is more conscious of cost than I am,” Prime Minister Christie said.
“I say to our new team, however, that you must not be deterred in your work by public criticism. Criticism comes with the job. Remember always that you are servants of the Bahamian people. I expect you to discharge your responsibilities without fear or favour in the best interests of the Bahamian people.”
He told them once they do that, they will have his support.
Prime Minister Christie said there has been some public commentary by the Opposition about the appointments and about what the present administration is doing in Foreign Affairs.
“I act with deliberation and I act only when it is right to act,” Prime Minister Christie said.
“The FNM (Free National Movement) can have no complaint about political appointments.”
He said when the FNM was in office, former FNM Members of Parliament and Senators, C. A. Smith, Maurice Moore, Anthony Rolle, Frank Rolle, Kay Forbes-Smith, Elma Campbell Chase, Calvin Johnson were appointed as ambassadors and consuls general.
“How then does the fact that one of the prime minister’s appointees is a PLP and former senator disqualify her for an appointment to office,” Mr. Christie asked.
The new heads of mission and consular services are: Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States, His Excellency Dr. Elliston Rahming; Ambassador to the Republic of Haiti and to the Dominican Republic, His Excellency Commander Godfrey Rolle; High Commissioner to Canada, His Excellency Calsey Johnson; Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geneva and the World Trade Organisation, Her Excellency Rhonda Jackson; Consul General, Washington, D.C., Her Excellency Paulette Zonicle; and Press and Cultural Attaché, Washington, D.C. Oswald Brown.
