The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield has raised alarm over what he sees as a serious breach of political neutrality within the foreign service, after images showed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ most senior public service official wearing Progressive Liberal Party paraphernalia last week.

Mr Henfield described the situation as “disturbing”, pointing specifically to Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Melvin Seymour. Mr Seymour declined to comment yesterday when asked about his actions.

Consul General to Toronto and former Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander was also photographed in a PLP shirt.

Mr Henfield said the concern is heightened because foreign affairs officers are responsible for safeguarding ballots and ensuring the proper conduct of voting overseas.

"That's a very grave concern for me," he said.

"I read some memorandum recently that said that officials will be put in place in overseas offices to ensure that the voting is done properly, but with the permanent secretary wearing PLP paraphernalia, we don't know what that is. What does that mean?”

Mr Henfield said the Free National Movement does not trust the electoral process if it appears to lack impartiality.

"No permanent secretary in The Bahamas, government employee, none, should be wearing PLP or any other paraphernalia for that matter, especially in this season," he said.

He also claimed that members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force had been seen campaigning with National Security Minister Wayne Munroe and wearing his campaign paraphernalia, though he did not provide evidence of this up to press time.

Mr Henfield said public servants are discouraged from openly participating in partisan politics, recalling that as a young marine, he attended rallies discreetly.

"I used to tie my hair down in one scarf, and go incognito and participate in the rallies,” he said. “It is forbidden. But to see a PS, a permanent secretary in the government, wearing political paraphernalia openly, is disturbing. What have we come to in this country? Permanent secretaries in the government wearing PLP paraphernalia? That's unacceptable."

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell declined to comment on the matter yesterday.

Under Bahamian law, foreign affairs officers are subject to strict standards of political neutrality and are generally prohibited from active involvement in partisan politics to avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of bias.

General Order 949 places such officers in the “Politically Restricted Group”, barring them from canvassing or distributing material on behalf of a political party or candidate, though it does not prevent them from being members of a political party. The General Orders also require public officers to maintain a “code of reserve” in political matters, noting that expressing political views may undermine the impartiality expected of the public service.