By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
US Congresswoman Maxine Waters was a well known spectator at the 2018 Junkanoo Boxing Day Parade — a tradition she and her husband have shared for more than a decade.
Ms Waters sat in the front row in Parliament Square and avidly watched the festivities.
The well-known politician, fondly known as “Aunty Maxine” by legions of supporters, took a few moments to speak to reporters about her history with The Bahamas, her love of the culture, the political climate of the United States and the status of women politicians worldwide.
“My husband (Sidney Williams) was a former ambassador to The Bahamas from the United States for four and a half years (1994-1998), supported by (former US President Bill) Clinton,” Ms Waters said.
“And so we’ve been coming here for many years and certainly we love Junkanoo. So we try to get here every year. I think we’ve only missed two years in the last 10 or 15 years.”
When asked if she has a particular group for whom she roots, Ms Williams name-dropped one but expressed her admiration for all the participants.
“I have to be careful,” she said. “But everybody loves the Saxons, and all of them are great.”
Ms Waters also discussed her feelings regarding spending the holidays in a majority black nation such as the Bahamas compared with the current racially-charged political climate in the United States. She reiterated her love for The Bahamas while revealing her aspirations for the future of the US.
“Well, I want to tell you — I’m always very, very happy to be here. I love the culture, I love the music, I love the people,” she said.
“And I want you to know that despite the fact that we are struggling in the United States with some very difficult situations, we just have to keep working at it, we have to keep trying. And I believe that if you fight you can win.”
Ms Waters also expressed her hopes for female politicians in The Bahamas.
“Women are on the move all over the world and it’s inevitable,” she said. “It’s just a matter of time. Women are (going to) emerge here. I’m looking forward to a woman being prime minster someday.”
Ms Waters currently represents the 43rd District of California. The Democratic Caucus recently selected her to serve as the first woman and first African-American to chair the House Financial Services Committee of the United States. Ms Waters will assume office on January 3, 2019.
She has also verbally sparred with US President Donald Trump, saying he deserves to be impeached.
Comments
paul_vincent_zecchino 5 years, 3 months ago
Mad Marxine says President Trump needs to be impeached? On what grounds? Oh, that's right, he's not a demshevik commie street agitator, but rather an effective leader. In the fevered, totalitarian, so called minds of the Left, that's grounds aplenty, isn't it?
The Left is a power mad crime syndicate. Mad Marxine makes a great spokesperson for it.
The Left is hate. Revenge is its pastime. Genocide is its legacy.
tell_it_like_it_is 5 years, 3 months ago
Ahhh.... we don't need any cronies here. This is The Bahamas!!
Malebranche 5 years, 3 months ago
Lol, from whence did you slither?
Jetflt 5 years, 3 months ago
Crazy Maxine Waters!!!!! The last thing the Bahamas needs is advice from Carzy Maxine Waters!!!!!
CatIslandBoy 5 years, 3 months ago
There is nothing crazy about the honourable congresswoman. Just because she has the guts to stand up to a lying sycophant dictator wannabe, and call him out on many of his inhumane and crazy policy proposals, does not make her crazy but a heroine to her people. She could not be crazy to have been re-elected as many times as she has been, and to have served with distinction under several presidents. God bless Maxine Waters, and the Congressional Black Caucus for the work they do in keeping civil rights alive and well!
tell_it_like_it_is 5 years, 3 months ago
Agreed.
Tarzan 5 years, 3 months ago
No doubt and 300,000,000 citizens of the U.S. hope she will move to the Bahamas and win here.
John 5 years, 3 months ago
Well, at least she got Junkanoo featured in the US news (OAN) where they reported her as "the congresswoman who is highly critical of Donald Trump. The report said that she was visiting the Bahamas and enjoying a street festival 'with the locals.' As for her desire to see a woman prime minister, that should be secondary to seeing a 'good' prime minister. It has been demonstrated and proven that there are no glass ceilings for women in politics in this country, as many women have served in high posts and with distinction. And it may have been because of the desire to get Hillary Clinton elected as the first woman president of the United States, that Donald Trump became president, And it may be Hillary that unseats him and becomes the first US woman president eventually, should she run again. And it can also be that Donald trump gets a second term, because of Clinton. There has been so much shortening of the gap between the genders, it is almost a non-issue now. It was because of her own undoing that Loretta Butler-Turner is not serving as deputy prime minister now.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago
This ditzoid dumber than dumb racist U.S. congresswoman epitomizes all that's wrong with American politics today; she and others like her are a key reason why the U.S. now has a certifiable quack for a president. Can you just imagine for a moment this brain-dead loud mouth chairing the U.S. House Financial Services Committee?! My oh my, how the once mighty U.S. has fallen! By the way, she readily admits that Bill Clinton and not Obama was the first black president of the U.S. LMAO
K4C 5 years, 3 months ago
Individuals as Waters reflects poorly on the character of the Bahamas Government , she is a person that spews division and hate, and has done more for herself than her electorate in the many years she has spent in office not to mention being accused of cronyism often
pingmydling 5 years, 3 months ago
I agree Maxine is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. However she hates Drump, therefore as they say " the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Go Maxine!!!!!
pingmydling 5 years, 3 months ago
Who is this "Paul Vincent Zecchino"? Its not everyday you meet a real live racist, fascist,Nazi, moron. Hey Paul what do you do on the days your not being an *?
ohdrap4 5 years, 3 months ago
he has been around here for a while, usually offers koolaid when he posts, but i do not imbibe.
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