PRIME Minister Perry Christie used the weekend visit of Robert F Kennedy Jr to emphasise the importance of the bilateral relationship between the Bahamas and the United States.
Speaking at the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of the historic visit of President John F Kennedy in 1962, Mr Christie said the bond has been growing and deepening since Bahamian independence.
“The Bahamas,” he said, “has been the beneficiary, of among other things, OPBAT, a collaborative effort in national security between United States, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands; the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre (AUTEC) used for advanced research; and the United States pre-clearance customs and immigration facility.
“We are all aware that most of our students pursue tertiary education in the United States, and most Bahamians who take vacations abroad, do so, in the United States. The Family Islands are also recipients of the generosity of winter residents from the United States.”
Mr Christie said Saturday’s ceremony was the beginning of another chapter in the development of solid, mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.
The visit of Robert F Kennedy Jr, a passionate activist and environmentalist, to the Bahamas is especially significant, as he is able to join in the celebrations of the legacy of his late uncle.
“Recognizing the challenges of environmental issues in our two countries, I wish to applaud your laudable efforts, Mr Kennedy, toward the conservation of natural resources and ensuring a clean and safe environment for future generations, particularly in the marine environment,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that many countries are now seeking to incorporate basic environmental protections into their national constitutions as part of the “menu of fundamental rights and freedoms.”
“Whether we go that far or not, however, the basic fact remains that as stewards and trustees of this planet we must all positively respond to the imperative of doing all that we can to protect our planet against environmental destruction or degradation.
“This applies not only to the land upon which we walk but the seas in which we swim and in which all manner of marine life depend for their sustenance and life,” he said.
“Bobby Kennedy by his own life and example is a role model of what it means to be a front-line soldier in the cause of environmental protection.
“And he brilliantly demonstrated this in our own country when almost 12 years ago he volunteered for frontline service in the popular struggle to save Clifton from commercial devastation.”
Mr Christie said it is important that all citizens of the world look beyond their own national boundaries, as Mr Kennedy did in 2001, to help to promote the cause of environmental and cultural preservation.
He added: “I wish also to pay tribute at this time to your late father, a tireless fighter himself for the rights of men and women who was tragically gunned down, within months of the death of another drum major for freedom the late Dr Martin Luther King, whose birthday will be marked on Monday.
“I pay my respects to them both and to their life’s work. In this our 40th anniversary of our Independence, I am pleased to be able to attend on this occasion.”
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