PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis is attending a senior regional conference this week where he will raise issues related to the impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine and China’s presence in the region.
Mr Da also intends to speak on climate change and monetising carbon credits.
His delegation attending the 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of Conference of Heads of Government in the Caribbean Community at San Pedro Town, Ambergris Cay, left the country yesterday.
The group includes Foreign Affairs and Public Service Minister Fred Mitchell, Minister of Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation John Pinder II, and High Commissioner to CARICOM Leslia Miller-Brice.
“On the agenda is agriculture policy for the whole Caribbean that deals specifically with the poultry industry,” Mr Davis said yesterday in a pre-flight interview with Press Secretary Clint Watson. “Something that we need to re-engage in The Bahamas because at one time we were almost self-sufficient in (the) poultry industry.
“We (will) also talk about the tourism policy for the Caribbean, particularly post-pandemic. That is on the agenda and you may or may not know The Bahamas is the chair of the tourism sector for the whole Caribbean. So, we’re very active in those discussions.
“I intend also to raise the issue of climate change that is always on the periphery but I think we need to bring that to the forefront particularly with what has been happening in the issue of carbon credits. How we reduce it, how we monetise it particularly for the Caribbean region, which is the region that has the largest carbon sink in the world. So, I think we need to come up with a policy amongst ourselves to be able to monetise that. That’s something high on my agenda.
“In addition, as you are aware with the outbreak of war in Ukraine. No doubt that’s not on the agenda because no one expected it but as a periphery and any other business I intend to raise it to see how it impacts the Caribbean and particularly The Bahamas and how we could put up defences to avoid the escalating costs on inflation to our products that our people would be impacted by. We’re only hearing about the rise in gas prices and the consequential effects of that like higher electricity. So, we have to sit down and talk about how we could best deal with these issues.
“We also have on the periphery the issue of the China-CARICOM relationship, which too we’ll have some discussions over and see whether we could come up with one policy with respect to our relationship with China. The idea and the view of CARICOM leaders is that we should strengthen it so there will be some discussions on that and balance the interest of the Americans and the other persons who may have some concerns about their presence in the region.”
Mr Davis said The Bahamas’ attendance at CARICOM was with a view to gain the support of other countries in the region that face similar issues.
“First of all, they must recognise that just as they say no man is an island, no country is an island, particularly in this day and age of what I call the information age, technological age where most of the host of these technological advances do not reside in the Caribbean.
“So, we are very vulnerable as a region and therefore the more together, the stronger we are. So, that is the key to us as a unit to bring to bear our collective energies, our ideas, thoughts and there is a lot of commonality between the islands in the jurisdictions and we need to understand that together we are stronger and that is the message that The Bahamian people ought to appreciate. That The Bahamas alone will not be able to do it. Trinidad or Barbados or Jamaica alone could not do it, but together we could strive in the international arena.
“Particularly it is very important for us in particular being a consumptive nation as we are and still trying to catch up with developing other industries to make ourselves sufficient in those industries,” Mr Davis said.
The delegation will return to The Bahamas on Friday.
Comments
tribanon 2 years, 1 month ago
Davis and Cooper told Darville to get with the program cause it ain't bout blaming COVID no more for the suffering being experienced by so many Bahamians.....leave that for Pintard and Sands to do......from now on it's all about the PLP political ruling class blaming the Russian invasion of the Ukraine for any and everything that has so many Bahamians living in abject poverty and misery.
Proguing 2 years, 1 month ago
Can he also say something about Yemen and Palestine at the same time?
SP 2 years, 1 month ago
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis attending the senior regional conference this week where he will raise issues related to the impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine and China’s presence in the region?
PM Davis needs to take several steps back and raise the issue of Haiti's invasion of the Bahamas!!
What a joke. "Last place" Bahamas is the chair of the tourism sector for the whole Caribbean? Lol, wonder what brilliant guidance the Bahamas brought to the table.
Any fool can see what "China's presence in the region" is by simply learning from "their presence in Africa". Hopefully, SOMEONE will have enough sense to stop China in the Caribbean!
The Caribbean needs to form its own economic block by duplicating the banking regulations of Delaware and standing its ground!
tribanon 2 years, 1 month ago
The very corrupt, despicable and incompetent Davis, and the equally corrupt, despicable, incompetent and full of himself Mitchell, are clueless idiots in the foreign policy arena.
Both Davis and Mitchell are all too willing to genuflect to the economic and political wishes of the Chinese Communist Party and the military might of the Communist Chinese People's Liberation Army.
For decades now, Diplomats around the world have been laughing at the idiocy of Mitchell behind his back whenever he makes his re-appearances every other five years on the diplomatic stage.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Do you know that 70 percent of the Ukraine people speak Russian? Why? Because the Ukraine was once a part of the Soviet Union which was also under the control of Russia. Along with several other , now independent, states that borders Russia. So the invasion of the Ukraine by Russia is not like Cuba invading The Bahamas, but more like the PM sending the defense force to Abaco to stop them joining the US. Once the Ukraine joins NATO and other organizations, this would isolate Russia and make it impossible to re-establish the Soviet Union. The policy of NATO is ‘touch one, touch all.’ Rather than Russia being an evil bully, it just may be fighting for its own survival. When they invaded Africa to rape it if it’s people for slaves and of its natural resources of diamonds, oil etc., it described the Africans as wild and violent savages. The Ukraine has vast natural resources and products they produce.
themessenger 2 years, 1 month ago
@john, do you know that 90% of Bahamian people speak English? WHY? Because the Bahamas was once a British ruled colony. Does that justify Britain invading the Bahamas because they would like to re establish Queen Victoria’s Empire which is just as outdated as the former Soviet Union? Not that Britain would want us back anyway, they have enough of their own ignorant people to deal with.
ohdrap4 2 years, 1 month ago
price harry needs a job. they might just do it.
tribanon 2 years, 1 month ago
It's actually the very disgraceful and despicable Prince Andrew who needs a job, one that would be forgiving of his past close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and his great fondness for underage girls. He would fit right in with some of the more disgusting ruling political elite in our country today.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
I’m sure you wasn’t including me in The Bahamians that you called ignorant, especially since I have so strongly evoked your emotions on what is happening with Russia and the former Soviet Union. NEVER YET did I say that because most Ukrainians speak Russian does it justify the invasion by a former sister state, Russia. It was a point of reference as many do not know the history of the relationship of Russia and Ukraine. And it is not a matter of the UK wanting ‘us’ back but many certainly do want this piece of Real Estate called The Bahamas And so they make it nearly impossible for indigenous Bahamians to live here, day after day As the value of The Bahamas increase, BAHAMIAN ownership decreases. And O, many Africans still do not speak English, but does that stop the pirates from the East and West from going in staging civil wars and carting off loot from the motherland? Stay woke (or ignorant)! It’s all about the dollar ( or the ruble)
John 2 years, 1 month ago
PS: @ the messenger: how many countries has America invaded in your lifetime? How many governments had the U overthrown? How many sitting heads of state have allegedly been assassinated by America or its agents or its influence or direction?
themessenger 2 years, 1 month ago
As an indigenous Bahamian I have long been of the opinion that the majority of the pirates that have been raping and looting Africa for the last half century have been fellow Africans.
Nonetheless, in life, its important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
Stay ignorant my brother!
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Firstly I am NOT your brother. Different skin tones set us far beyond being that. Second and obviously you have a problem with the truth. They also said it was Africans behi were selling other Africans into slavery but you know full the end result of that argument. And as for you calling me ignorant again you have to go back in your lineage even beyond your mother and hers to understand your problem. And it continues…
concernedcitizen 2 years, 1 month ago
The indigenous Bahamians were the Arawak and Tanio Indians .They were wiped out by the Europeans in the 1400 and 1500 hundreds .The rest of us came from Europe ,England and the new colonies in America mainly, and Africa . There are no descendents of the original Bahamians
John 2 years, 1 month ago
So we’re left when most of people he American and European slave owners left? They k so if the original people were wiped out then those who replaced them are the indigenous Bahamians. And there are the Conchy Joe Bahamian, also indigenous. As opposed to paper Bahamians.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
‘ Why did Russia invade Ukraine?
Putin nurses a deep sense of grievance over the loss of Russia’s power and influence since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine was formerly part of the Soviet Union but declared its independence in 1991.
Having a prosperous, modern, independent and democratic European state bordering Russia was perceived as posing a threat to Russia’s autocratic regime. If Ukrainians succeeded in fully reforming their country along lines of other western democracies, it would set a bad precedent for former Soviet countries and serve as an example for Russians who want a more democratic country.
Putin also perceives that western democracies are in a weak and particularly vulnerable state — thanks in part due to Russian efforts to create discord and sow divisions in Europe and North America abroad — making this an opportune time to launch a major military adventure.’. . .
. So how comfortable would the US be if Russia was to come and start building Cuba into a modern day communist city, full scale military and all?
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Do you know Texa was once a part of Mexico? How do d America come to own it? What about Guantanamo Bay in Cuba? How did the US get control of it?
John 2 years, 1 month ago
PS: how many Ukrainians (refugees) does Biden plan to allow into the Us? Is this a conversation you want to have and the reason for it? Okay then!
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