The Free National Movement’s (FNM) Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Hubert Chipman said the party is not shocked at the minister of foreign affairs’ letter of apology to the government of Malaysia.

Last week Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell sent a diplomatic letter to the government of Malaysia apologising for Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis making reference to missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in a political attack against the Christie Administration.

In a press statement Mr. Chipman said the FNM is not surprised that the minister of foreign affairs has responded to the Opposition spokesman’s statement by throwing a tantrum “like a petulant child stamping his feet in anger at being reprimanded for poor behaviour.”

“Mr. Mitchell’s irresponsible use of his position as a means of self-promotion continues unabated as demonstrated by his most recent diatribe against the perfectly legitimate right of the FNM to offer its views on what it perceives to be inappropriate action by Mr. Mitchell and by extension the government which portrays our country in a poor light,” he said.

“Mr. Mitchell says that he issued a press release at the time of the Malaysian Airlines tragedy. Did he cause the release to be sent to any affected country or did he rely on those countries seeing the statement in our local newspapers? He himself claims that his statement was largely ignored by the media.”

According to Mr. Chipman, Mr. Mitchell has still not seen fit to advise the Bahamian people why he has chosen to express the sympathy of the Bahamian people to the governments and people of India and Australia whose nationals are also among the missing on Flight 370.

“He might also advise whether he found it appropriate to issue a diplomatic note or a press release expressing the sympathies of the Bahamian people to the government and people of South Korea following the terrible ferry boat tragedy that cost the loss of more than 300 people,” Mr. Chipman said.

“Mr. Mitchell would do well to concentrate his efforts on learning his job and improving his performance.”

The St. Anne’s Member of Parliament said he believes Mr. Mitchell’s “angry outbursts” show immaturity and an inability to participate in democratic exchanges with the decorum expected from Cabinet ministers in well governed Commonwealth countries.

Mr. Mitchell said on Sunday that he is not trying to be insensitive about the incident that has gripped world headlines.