Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday defended the government’s decision to issue another note of concern over the missing Malaysian Flight 370 in light of recent off-handed remarks by Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis.
The Opposition leader’s remarks made in the House of Assembly during a recent debate has drawn some backlash after Dr. Minnis said the Christie administration appeared to be “more lost than the missing Malaysian airline the world is looking for.”
Dr. Minnis has since defended his remarks noting that he was not trying to be insensitive about the incident that has gripped world headlines since the Beijing-bound flight vanished with 239 on board back on March 8.
However, he has not offered an apology for his comments.
The government has condemned the Opposition leader’s comments and last Wednesday Minister Mitchell announced that his ministry had issued a diplomatic note to the governments of Malaysia, China and the United States distancing The Bahamas from Dr. Minnis’ statements.
The decision by Mr. Mitchell to issue that diplomatic note has been criticised by the Free National Movement’s (FNM) Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Chipman who said the move was “highly inappropriate.”
But Mr. Mitchell yesterday rejected any diplomatic advice from Mr. Chipman and the FNM.
“The day that I begin to take political and diplomatic advice from the Member of Parliament for St. Anne’s [Mr. Chipman], will be the day that pigs grow wings and fly,” Mr. Mitchell said in a statement.
“It is amazing to me how there is always this storm in a tea cup, over the most innocuous matters.”

Mr. Mitchell said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on March 24 expressing condolences to the people of Malaysia, China and the United States.
All of those countries, he continued, had nationals on the Flight 370 that was officially declared missing on that day.
“No one objected or found that to be unusual at the time the statement was issued. In fact, the press paid very little notice to the statement or may not have reported it at all; but it was the right thing to do under the circumstances,” he said.

“The issue today is not whether we issued another note which simply indicated our continuing concern about the loss of life in light of the Leader of the Opposition’s irresponsible remarks; the issue is whether or not the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition were appropriate.
“Surely, the Opposition does not object to expressing our concern about the loss of life to our international friends.”

The Foreign Affairs minister who has been criticised by the Opposition who have accused him of often acting on behalf of his own interests rather than the interests of The Bahamas, said the statements given on the lost aircraft were statements from and on behalf of the government of The Bahamas, not the personal his personal statements
“This is simply therefore another attempt by the FNM to deflect attention away from the ineptness of the statements of the Leader of the Opposition,” Mr. Mitchell continued. “Both he and the Opposition’s spokesman on Foreign Affairs appear therefore to be lost in space when it comes to matters of public policy.”