Lawyers to act in N.S.A. spy row

Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell

As of Thursday, June 5, 2014

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell raised concerns before the Organisation of American States yesterday over reports that the NSA has been recording virtually every cell phone conversation in The Bahamas, emphasising that the allegations cannot go unanswered.

His statements came as international reports emerged that the Bahamas government has directed its lawyers in the United States to represent its interests on “surveillance and privacy matters”.

According to a post on The Hill, an American news website, the law firm Hogan Lovells has been directed to give advice and representation to the Bahamas government on “general diplomatic representation and foreign policy matters, US laws, regulations, policies and actions by US Congress, Executive Branch and US government agencies that may affect or relate to the activities and interests (of The Bahamas), including but not limited to surveillance and privacy matters…”.

The website cites a federal disclosure document from the US Department of Justice, which The Tribune has seen, that was reportedly signed on May 30 by Hogan Lovells.

When contacted by The Tribune for comment, Mr Mitchell declined to discuss the contents of the document saying that he had not seen it.

He said that Hogan Lovells has been the “government’s lawyers for years.”

Another government official told The Tribune that no instructions were given from the Attorney General’s Office in relation to the matter.

Hogan Lovells has represented the government on various issues over the years. However, according to international reports, this is the first time the firm has expanded its focus to represent the Bahamas on “surveillance and privacy matters.”

A little over a week ago, documents released by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden alleged that the NSA has been recording every cellphone conversation in The Bahamas and keeping those recordings for up to a month.

While speaking in Paraguay before the OAS yesterday, Mr Mitchell called for full disclosure on the issue.

“In order to avoid any (misconceptions) about our friendship, there should be an explanation,” Mr Mitchell said. “The Bahamas wishes to underscore the most worthy principles of this organisation, as expressed in the OAS charter: that international law is the standard of conduct of States, the primacy of sovereignty, maintenance of territorial integrity, freedom from undue external intrusion and influence, safeguarding the rights of our citizens, and a reaffirmation of the importance of good faith for relations.”

“This framework and mutual respect for these tenets which allows for a hemisphere to coexist peacefully and progress together and which helps to avoid moral double-mindedness and selective application of these principles, which can unnecessarily hinder harmony amongst states and in the multi-lateral sphere.”

Mr Mitchell told the delegates that they “will be aware of the challenge the Bahamas faces now where our citizens are questioning what these high ideals of territorial integrity, sovereignty and respect for the rule of law actually mean in practice.”

“On May 19, news reports across the globe reported that an action occurred which violated the rights of Bahamians and visitors to our shores to their privacy. Indeed, The Bahamas is not the only country who has suffered this alleged activity. We have engaged at a bilateral level to determine the truth or accuracy of these reports, and continue to do so. Cooperation in international fora requires an interdependent context. Whether we are large or small, rich or powerful, we depend on each other.”

Mr Mitchell said that it is expected that not only will a “full and frank explanation” in the matter be forthcoming, but that the “ideas and norms to which we all espouse be supported” as well.

He said: “All of us are bound by the charter of this organisation which speaks to the fundamental right of each of our citizens to the protection of their privacy. For now and in this forum, it is sufficient to challenge those who espouse these high ideals to live up to the ethical standards which are touted throughout the world as the desired norm. The truth must come out. We are sworn on behalf of our citizens to live up to the ideals which we set for ourselves.”

Mr Mitchell said the spying allegations have been brought to the attention of CARICOM member states.

Reality_Check 9 years, 11 months ago

To The Tribune Editor: By constantly putting Freddie Boy in the spot light, you are only encouraging him to try mount a high horse when as a jack arse he already has far too much difficulty mounting the smallest pony.

SP 9 years, 11 months ago

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell seems to be going through the right process to deal with this NSA spying infringement of the Bahamas.

Diplomacy at the highest level is our sole option.

This whole spying scenario and the U.S. bullying the Bahamas is also a foreshadow of what is to be expected with WTO.

Big countries and big business will undoubtedly similarly bully the Bahamas at will. Exactly just what recourse would we have? More diplomacy? Who will come to our aid? Who is coming to our aid now with the spying allegations?

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron is now threatening to quit the European Union and never wanted the one Euro currency in the first place. Why should we inconvenience ourselves with over exposure to foreign whims that we have no control over.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/cameron-can...">https://uk.news.yahoo.com/cameron-can...

We would do well to hold off joining WTO for the foreseeable future at least until we are certain it would be to our best benefit to join. Best for us to "watch from the sidelines" for 5 years. As far as I can see, WTO will put us in a beholding position to big countries and their huge conglomerate partners whom we all know are the real architects of WTO.

Certainly nobody can possibly be stupid enough to believe that these big counties and their conglomerate partners formed the WTO to help us!

SP 9 years, 11 months ago

The Bahamas is not unique to government cell phone spying. See the link below.

http://news.yahoo.com/cellphone-opera...">http://news.yahoo.com/cellphone-opera...

The question here is who authorized the U.S. to tie into BTC network?

John 9 years, 11 months ago

The reason there is so much distance between the Bahamas Government and the Bahamian people is that consecutive governments are signing on to conventions , joining organizations and agreeing to treaties that will make the Bahamas a part of the New World Order. Since this country is already indebted to these entities, it will have little choice but to join with that one world 'beast' where 'no one will be able to buy or sell, save he receive the mark." There is no coincidence that all the "Cash for Gold" operators have come to this country and other countries around the world and are buying up every scrap of gold they can get their hands on. They expect another crash of the US economy soon, where the American dollar will collapse. Gold had value from the beginning of time and they are making sure they get yours and mine and we have nothing to trade. Then there is the talk about gmo's (genetically modified organisms) which is also genetically designed food. Not only are these crops being designed to germinate and grow in a nonconventional method, but they will also be pollinated without bees or other insects. Bees are already dying out by the millions along with other insects, and they may become extinct because of genetically altered crops. The same thing is happening to birds and other creatures that frequent farm lands where gmo's are in use. BUT HERE IS WISDOM TO THOSE WHO HAVE EARS: The gmo crops will be copyrighted and patented, you will have to pay to grow them..."no one will be able to buy or sell, unless he receive the mark (of the beast)." Just go to your nearest food store and look in the produce section. Every single fruit has a sticker on it with a barcode. Inspectors can go around the world and check to see that their crops are not being sold to people to whom they were not intended. They are also trying to make the crops (as many as possible) seedless, so that you cannot regrow them. And even if you save seeds (that were not altered) and manage to grow them, there will be no bees to pollinate them. NINETY PERCENT OF PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE BY CELL PHONE. THEY HAVE RECORDED AND STORED YOURS AND MINES...DO YOU SEE THE CONNECTION. They now know more about us than we care to remember! THIS IS NOT A DROPPED CALL PEOPLE! sign this John 3:16 'For GOD so loved the world...."

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