WikiLeaks Bahamas cable: Leaders not serious about Turks & Caicos union
Published:Thursday | June 16, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Reprinted from the Nassau Guardian
The United States Embassy in The Bahamas expressed the view in 2009 that The Bahamas was not seriously interested in forming a federation with the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), according to a secret cable released by WikiLeaks.
The cable was dated September 3, 2009, classified by chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Nassau, Timothy Zuniga-Brown.
In late August 2009, during a visit to The Bahamas, former TCI Premier Michael Misick suggested the federation. Misick had recently resigned as premier in the face of allegations of corruption.
The United Kingdom assumed direct rule of the colony in August 2009 as a result of widespread allegations of corruption by members of the then government.
In response to the idea, Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said on September 1 that he would be happy to discuss a federation. However, he added, that could only be done once the constitutional crisis in TCI was over.
Such talks, Ingraham continued, would need to be driven by the peoples of the respective countries.
fascinating idea
Former Progressive Liberal Party Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell was cited in The Tribune on September 2, 2009, stating that The Bahamas and TCI joining was a "fascinating idea worth exploring". But he too said the constitutional crisis would need to be resolved before the idea could be pursued further.
The US Embassy in Nassau regarded the statements by representatives of both political parties as not serious.
"The GCOB (Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas) and opposition statements on federation are rhetoric designed to placate a historical neighbour during uncertain times," said the cable.
"Mitchell was careful to note that the times in which the two countries were united, most recently from 1965 to 1973, were not 'entirely happy'. If the UK is able to quickly stabilise conditions in the country and restore government confidence, little is likely to materialise from the federation suggestion. However, if economic conditions worsen, there could be increased calls for The Bahamas to take action; calls The Bahamas is unlikely to heed."