YouSaid · the spoken record

Adderley

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS ADDERLEY

lines on the record: 139
first: 1981-09-24
most recent: 1984-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“While we recognize its shortcomings, we are convinced that, with the appropriate degree of commitment by its Member States, the United Nations could become the greatest institution for progress through co-operation and interdependence that mankind has ever known. We believe that this was the implicit intent of its founding fathers and, with this vision as a guiding beacon, the Bahamas will continue to promote the principles and objectives of the Charter and to enhance the functioning of the Organization, in a spirit of hope and brotherhood with other Member States, in pursuit of our ultimate goal of world peace.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“There must also be courage and enlightened self-interest in the establishment of priorities to solve long-standing problems. Such courage and enlightened self-interest should have its practical expression in a more critical review and consequent revision of the Assembly's agenda. 161. In closing, I reiterate my Government's un-categorical support for the work of the United Nations, based on the principles and objectives delineated in its Charter. It is our view that the United Nations is indeed a unique and indispensable Organization, which, among other things, serves to cushion those harsh realities with which we are faced as members of the international community.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Member States' actions in many instances reveal contradictions between legal, theoretical and practical political support for the purposes and principles of the Organization. If the opportunities afforded by the United Nations are to continue to improve the security and well-being of mankind, there must be a closing of the gap between declared expectations and commitment. 160. At the level of international action there must be, generally speaking, more frankness in the evaluation of the total magnitude of resources present among Member States and the part that is diverted to United Nations endeavours to turn a recession- and conflict-ridden international society into a mutually co-operating healthy community of States.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Secondly, the momentum of International Youth Year must be sustained to ensure that youth is utilized as a force for economic progress, nation-building, and peace. In pursuit of these goals, the Bahamas has undertaken efforts to implement many of the United Nations recommendations in this field, and will co-operate fully with regional and international programmes in support of International Youth Year. 158. Even the detractors and the harshest critics of the United Nations, and therefore, much more, declared supporters, would agree that the world would be a worse place without it. Yet one must ask: is everything being done which can be done to use and improve this most invaluable global institution? I believe the answer, unfortunately, is no. 159.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The United Nations is there-fore to be commended for fulfilling an important part of its mandate in proclaiming 1985 International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace. 156. It is not sufficient, however, simply to identify or codify issues and problems which concern youth. National Governments, in particular, must seize this opportunity to increase their knowledge of this valuable resource and to adopt and implement policies and programmes directed towards the specific human needs and conditions of young people. 157. To be successful in our endeavours, two important considerations must be borne in mind. First, efforts for youth must be undertaken in consultation and co-operation with youth.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The Bahamas wishes to see the problem of international drug control in all its aspects given priority in the United Nations system. As a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, my Government pledges itself to do its utmost to work for the speedy implementation of the suggested international measures which have been discussed and recommended in this and other bodies. It hopes that, with the support of this body, the participation of the Bahamas can continue to make a contribution to international drug control. 155. Undoubtedly, one of the most valuable re-sources of any country is its youth. Particularly in the developing world, youth comprises a significant proportion, or, in some cases, the majority, of national populations.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“It ought therefore to be readily understood why the primary concern of the Bahamas in this matter is for greater involvement of the United Nations system to internationalize the approaches to these problems of trafficking so that those who contribute the most to the traffic, that is, the producer and consumer countries, would be required to bear a greater share of the burden of law enforcement and eradication. 153. The resources of the Bahamas, as a developing country, are not unlimited. Narcotics control should not have to be in competition with social services for funding from the national budget. What is urgently needed is adequate international co-operation among all States: the producer States, the consumer States and the transit States such as the Bahamas. 154.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“What is important to the Bahamas is the effect the traffic in drugs is having, and has had persistently for years, on small Bahamian communities where a high percentage of the adult male population may find it economically to its advantage to become involved in this illegal business. This is a moral and cultural threat the long-term ramifications of which could be devastating to the social fabric of the country. 152. The major participants in this trade are not Bahamian nationals. They are almost all nationals of the producer and consumer States.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The geographical location of the Bahamas also makes it a convenient transit country for illegal drugs destined for the big and profitable markets in North America. 151. The Bahamas is not now and has never been a producer of drugs and is not, in the international context, a major consumer, but consumption in the Bahamas has increased in direct relation to the volume of traffic passing through. Producer countries are generally south of the Bahamas; the major consumer country is to the north. This puts us in an unenviable position. As a result, drug trafficking through the Bahamas is straining the economic, moral and social fabric of the islands of our Commonwealth.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“To this end, we urge the speedy implementation of Security Council resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984) as means whereby the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and non-alignment of that country will be ensured and any disruptive interference by others will be precluded. 150. The problem of drug control and, in the case of the Bahamas, trafficking in drugs represents the primary social and moral problem facing the Bahamas. Two factors—the geography of the Bahamas itself and the geographical location of the Bahamas— are contributory factors in the incidence of the traffic in drugs through our archipelago. The Bahamas covers an area of almost 100,000 nautical square miles of water with many isolated islands where ships and aircraft engaged in drug trafficking may seek haven to elude detection.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“While the Bahamas firmly believes that the principle of the right of peoples and countries to self-determination is a paramount aspect of international relations, national unity, which is a precondition for the development of nationals in any society, is not fostered by unilateral declarations of independence. In the Cyprus situation, such a unilateral declaration has created more problems than it has resolved. We are therefore convinced that effective social and economic development in Cyprus, or in any other nation or region, will evolve only in a situation where there is peace and respect for human dignity and freedom. 149. The Bahamas commends the Secretary-General of the United Nations and endorses the utilization of his good offices in seeking to formulate a frame-work for an overall solution to the Cyprus problem.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The current ploy by South Africa, to link Namibia's independence to the withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola, is totally unacceptable to the Bahamas Government. We support whole-heartedly Security Council resolution 539 (1983). 147. We reiterate the concern expressed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting held at New Delhi from 23 to 29 November 19836 in regard to the delaying of Namibia's independence. They urged the contact group as well as other negotiating bodies to make more serious efforts to ensure the speedy and unconditional implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978). 148. A solution to the Cyprus problem has eluded us for far too long, and now, once again, recent developments in that country pose a serious threat to international peace and security in that region.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Nor should any member of the international community condone the fraudulent so-called new constitution designed to foster the entrenchment of the abhorrent system of apartheid. 145. It is discouraging and even deplorable that year after year we continue to be plagued by some of the same issues. The racist regime of South Africa poses a threat to international security and peace, not only through its policies within its borders but also through its actions beyond its borders, in Namibia, by constantly setting up obstacles to the implementation of Security Council resolution 435 (1978), which provides the basis for the independence of Namibia and the establishment of democratic rule in that country. 146. South Africa's occupation of Namibia is illegal.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the various human rights instruments adopted by the Organization theoretically form the core of the international community's defences against racism and racial discrimination. Not only are ideas based on racial superiority and hatred renounced and rejected in those instruments, but the equality of man and the entitlement of all to basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, regardless of race, colour, place of origin or any other consideration, are reaffirmed. By blatantly and unashamedly declaring the superiority of one race over another, the policy of apartheid challenges, directly, the very foundations and principles on which the Organization was based. This really ought not to be condoned by any member of the international community.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“We believe that it is the duty of each and every Member State to do its utmost to see that apartheid and racial discrimination are thoroughly eliminated, indeed eradicated. Our commitment to the promotion and encouragement of human rights and fundamental freedoms is clearly evident in our Constitution and in our determination to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 144. The Bahamas condemns, without reservation, the racist minority regime of South Africa, which continues to oppress the black majority and, through its institution of apartheid, seeks to destroy and deny this majority their inherent dignity and the exercise of their inalienable rights as free human beings.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The recognizable power centres of the world are locked in the bondage of power politics, as they are held hostage by their histories and cultures, which, unfortunately, time is quickly passing by. Is it too much to hope that during the thirty-ninth session of this Assembly of the nations of the world some tangible signs will be evinced that will touch the conscience of mankind and kindle in the mighty some vision, reason and courage to promote, encourage and indeed lead those who cry out for more freedom, more democracy, more regard for human rights and more economic and racial justice? 143. It is incumbent upon me to state unequivocally that it is time apartheid and racial discrimination came to an end.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“I do not believe that mankind is ennobled or that people of the world are impressed or their lives enriched by the magnificent means of world destruction which are being accumulated, but I do believe that all people are dismayed, frustrated and frightened by them. Those who value power over principle, and political ideology over ideas and reason, occupy the seats of the controllers of our destiny. Freedom and democracy are on the defensive. Those who have the voice, the power and the riches to mobilize those forces which do exist and which are in pursuit of democracy, political freedom, territorial integrity and economic and racial justice are silenced completely or muted beyond recognition.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“But so long as the ultimate objective is greater freedom through giving the people the unfettered right to choose their own form of government, who would find fault with that? 142. It is not trite to inquire here today who speaks with a powerful, clear and credible voice for the rights of man. The old world order of the ideological right and left has failed to provide either leadership Or hope for mankind. Super-Powers feed us unrelentingly with a morality of physical confrontation and our hope of peace and tranquillity is balanced on the scales of something called nuclear parity and deterrence.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“We are rightly proud of the level of liberty and freedom enjoyed by the people of the Bahamas, but we are not unmindful of the fact that that level of sovereignty is still denied large numbers of persons in the world. Consequently, there is today some movement, sometimes overt and sometimes less open, of people attempting to secure a larger measure of political freedom and more real control over their own affairs. No super-Power's armed might or economic authority can deter indefinitely the peoples' movements—which we support everywhere—in which man claims freedom from minority rule and economic oppression. Those movements may take the form of peaceful revolution, such as we were able to achieve in the Bahamas; others may be less fortunate and choose a separate route.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Freedom and political independence are rich harvests to reap, but they become an empty feast at the table of economic dependence. The economic philosophy of development which dictates that the rich should get richer and let riches trickle down to the poor is an affront to national dignity and sovereign independence. It is a philosophy of dependence worse than colonialism. The evolution of a more equitable system of economic relations among nations must not be deferred by those who fail to realize that the total interdependence of the world requires, paradoxically, that the road to self-sufficiency and economic independence is called co-operation. 141.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“There has to be a much greater broadening of this base if the concept of equity is to be effectively applied and the downward spiralling international economy is to be revived. 139. There is an obvious relationship between political independence and economic independence and there is an equally obvious relationship between political independence and the global ideological conflict in which, willingly or not, we are all caught. So it must follow that failure to reach agreement on the means by which economic independence will be achieved is bound to influence political and ideological considerations. Hence it is necessary that those of us who wish to preserve our freedom and the political independence we have must seek to promote the reconciliation of legitimately conflicting points of view among developed and developing countries. 140.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“High interest rates, inflation and defaults on loans are all contributors to the mounting crisis. Protectionism is on the rise and exploitation of natural resources in developing countries by transnational corporations aggravates the problem. The new international economic order and global negotiations lie dormant because of the lack of commitment to and acceptance of the concept of interdependence. John Donne's "no man is an island" theory is not being practised and consequently nations have become more selfish and introspective. 138. Granted there are no easy answers to the sensitive matters of finance and economic development. My Government is convinced, however, that too much of the world's wealth is concentrated in too few hands.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Mahatma Gandhi, in his timelessly inimitable fashion, directed our attention to our responsibilities when he said: "If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on real war against war, we shall have to begin with children; and if they grow up in their natural innocence, we won't have to struggle, we won't have to pass fruitless idle resolutions, but we shall go from love to love and peace to peace, until at last all the corners of the world are covered with the peace and love for which consciously or unconsciously the whole world is hungry." 137. Another matter of urgent global concern is that of stagnated economic development. Given the economic state of affairs of the world, it is amazing that a total collapse of the monetary system has not yet occurred.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“If the words of the Charter of the United Nations, "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war", are to have any meaning, then there must be more concerted efforts on the part of all nations to desist from the senseless act of escalating the arms race. While it is recognized that the United States and the Soviet Union, as super-Powers in the military field, have a moral and social obligation to the peoples of the world to curb the arms race, no State, big or small, militarily significant or militarily insignificant, can continue to shirk the responsibility that comes from the fact that globally every State is involved directly or indirectly in the web of military arsenals with which we could be destroyed. 136.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“While we can take comfort in the fact that a global war is not going on now, we are disheartened by the war between Iran and Iraq, by the situation in the Middle East, in Afghanistan and in Kampuchea and by the conflicts in the Latin American region. A paradoxical concept exists that security can be had only through an accumulation of weapons of mass destruction, which both sides claim they will never use. It seems incongruous that, at a time when nations decry the use of chemical weapons and assert that nuclear weapons would annihilate our planet, they seem to be rushing into a race to build, acquire and use these deadly weapons.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“We therefore pose the question: does not the necessity now arise for the codification and conclusion of a multilateral treaty concerning this issue? 134. Someone once referred to disarmament as any plan or system for the limitation, reduction or abolition of armed forces, including their arms and budgets. It is clear that this approach is not now being followed for, despite the fact that Governments are aware that the arms race has resulted in the wastage of valuable resources that could have been put to more productive use, there is a great unwillingness by many to desist from acquiring and—even more disconcerting—developing newer and more sophisticated weapons of destruction. 135.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“They emphasized the need for continuing efforts within the Caribbean Community to identify and document the various forms of threat to the security of States in the region. They took note of the proposed study by the Commonwealth Secretariat on the security of small States and agreed on a procedure which would ensure that the particular needs of the States of the Caribbean Community would be adequately reflected in the study. The Heads of Government further called for the early convening of the previously established working group to consider a unified approach to the question of economic aggression and the establishment of a scheme of mutual assistance. We are not convinced, however, that sufficient viable machinery exists today to tackle successfully the problem of threats posed to small States.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“At the fifth meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, held at Nassau from 4 to 7 July 1984, the problem of the security of small States was considered. The communique issued at the end of that meeting states the following: "The Heads of Government expressed their concern that the security of small States continues to be seriously threatened. They observed that small States were increasingly vulnerable to external aggression, manifested in traditional as well as new forms, and were being subjected to various forms of economic aggression, including the attempt of some States to impose extraterritorial jurisdiction." 133. The Heads of Government also renewed their commitment to the maintenance of the territorial integrity of the Caribbean Community and of its member States.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“We are aware that efforts have been made by organs of this body responsible for international peace and security to make arrangements under which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States can be preserved. We are also aware of the obligations imposed upon all States not to interfere in the domestic affairs of another State. As the matter relates to economic aggression or coercion, there exist, in particular, the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States of 1970 and 1974, respectively. 132.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Given the priorities incumbent upon any Government for the provision of adequate services, inclusive of national health, social security, education and the other prerequisites of welfare, the creation and maintenance of a military cannot, especially for a country of extensive archipelagic expanse such as the Bahamas, be an objective of high priority. 130. The United Nations is charged with the responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Strict adherence by Member States to these obligations will eliminate the necessity for small States to be concerned with these matters. But we today live in a world characterized by superpower rivalry and competing self-interest where States guard jealously their national sovereignty, thus making it more difficult for the Organization to discharge its functions. 131.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The national security and defence of small States is a matter of grave concern to countries such as the Bahamas, and it ought equally to be of concern to the international community. Given their limited resources, it is impossible for small States to incur the expenditure necessary to create and maintain military capacity for self-defence against powerful forces of aggression. 129. In the case of the Bahamas, the problem is further compounded by its geographical make-up. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, with a population of less than a quarter of a million, is an archipelago comprising some 700 islands, fewer than 30 of which sustain a permanent population.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“My delegation, however, shares the opinion that, notwithstanding ideological factors, the fundamental crisis faced by the people of the region is rooted in deep-seated social and economic ills. In this context, we welcome the continuing efforts of the international community to provide assistance to the people of Central America. The efforts of the Contadora Group in trying to devise a peaceful settlement of the problems of Central America, which would take into consideration all political views, are commendable and deserving of the support of the international community. The history of our region has taught us that an imposed settlement which does not accommodate the views of all parties will never stand the test of time. 128.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“If all Governments demonstrated a willingness to implement its decisions, there can be no doubt that the image of this body would be enhanced and its credibility strengthened. Towards this end, among the many activities envisaged for the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, all States should renew, through concrete goals as well as declarations, their commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 127. My Government is deeply troubled by the problems of our region. Political ideology and the tendency of some to view the uncertainties of the area from a geopolitical point of view, thus placing all of the area's problems under the umbrella of East- West confrontation, is in our view a mistake.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“I must also pay tribute to the efforts of the Secretary-General in seeking to identify and establish those means whereby international peace and brotherhood, economic security, respect for human dignity and sovereignty of States can become realities. 125. It also gives me great satisfaction to welcome to the United Nations the delegation of Brunei Darussalam, a sister Commonwealth State. 126. I believe that all nations can see the wisdom of the observation that, if the United Nations did not exist, it would have to be invented. This being the case, then all States large and small, whether powerful or weak, industrialized or developing, must uphold the ideal of interdependence. This body has not been immune to negative comments. Nevertheless, I believe the world holds the Organization in high esteem.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Mr. President, I extend my congratulations to you, on behalf of the Bahamian delegation, on your election to the presidency of the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly. I am confident that the proceedings of this session will be executed skilfully under your able leadership, which you have already demonstrated for many years as President of the United Nations Council for Namibia, and I can assure you of my delegation's support throughout our deliberations. 123. I should like to commend Mr. Jorge Illueca for the excellent manner in which he carried out the functions of the office of President of the thirty- eighth session of the General Assembly. His qualities as a leader and his knowledge of the issues were evident throughout his term of office. 124.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“In this spirit of idealism, I pledge that the Bahamas will do its utmost to assist in promoting the principle that conflicts and disputes must be solved through constructive dialogue and peaceful negotiations, and that in an era of ever greater interdependence we are compelled to cooperate in the search for peace, equal rights, security and progress for all peoples, always remembering the golden rule.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“We therefore object very strongly to attempts by States to export their policies and laws to sovereign States which may have different legal systems and different interests to protect. 95. In conclusion, I wish to state once again in the Assembly that the Bahamas has always considered that the strengthening of the effectiveness of the United Nations is one of the highest tasks of the Member States. For our part, we oppose firmly the growing tendency to withdraw from or bypass the United Nations in seeking solutions to substantive problems. We exhort all Member States, rather, to commit themselves to increasing the effectiveness of the Organization by striving to implement the decisions and resolutions of the Assembly. 96.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“This is particularly important in the case of small developing countries, for it undermines social and economic progress and disrupts political stability, all of which are crucial variables in the process of development. 94. All legislation is territorial, and so it must be an act of interference with the authority of another State, and contrary to the comity of nations, for one State to apply its domestic laws outside its own national jurisdiction. This is a clear and unequivocal expression of the territorial principle of national jurisdiction which is provided for under the Charter. Otherwise, the international system guided by the rule of law breaks down, and one State becomes subjugated to another, which has the effect of undermining its existence as an independent, sovereign and territorially integral entity.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“This obligation refers not only to overt and armed interference, but also to the more subtle aggressive attempts which can have a destabilizing impact on any country. 93. There remain some States in the international community which seek, through their various judicial and economic agencies, to impose their policies, hegemonism and laws upon other sovereign States by aggressively pursuing hostile economic policies towards them. The extraterritorial extension of domestic laws is unacceptable, as it ignores the fundamental principles of international law and the sovereign equality of States as provided for under the Charter of the United Nations. Such acts demonstrate a complete lack of respect for the laws, policies, rights and interests of other States, and have very serious implications for orderly development.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“We in the Bahamas hold very strongly to the internationally acclaimed principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States. We have neither the means nor the desire to interfere in the domestic affairs of any State, and we deplore efforts by others who attempt to do so. Should it be considered unreasonable, therefore, to ask other States to be similarly guided in their behaviour towards us? I think not. 92. I pose that question because it is a customary principle of international law, an adjunct of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, that all States are obliged not to interfere in the internal affairs of other States or to attempt to impose their will upon smaller and infinitely weaker States.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“The people of no country in the world prize their freedom, their independence, their sovereignty, their parliamentary democracy, more fiercely than Bahamians. The legacies of the former colonial slave societies which also evolved as multi-racial societies have implicit in their existence some fundamental cultural contradictions and problems which have yet to be eradicated. The Bahamas is not unique in this; neither is it peculiar to us that our most urgent post-colonial task is the economic and social reconstruction and development of our society. It is therefore to be expected that our priorities must of necessity be somewhat different from the priorities of those countries whose colonial history is different and more remote, or which never really had one. 91.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“From our perspective, therefore, the new world information order is not an instrument designed to replace the domination of the transnational agencies by establishing national news bureaucracies in a move to restrict press freedom. Rather, we would emphasize it as a move towards more press freedom in the third world. That would really meet the need to inform and to be informed, which is, after all, a fundamental human need. 89. It is a geopolitical fact, recognized in few places apart from the Bahamas, that we occupy a peculiar geographical position in the world, in which our closest neighbour to the south is the Republic of Cuba and our closest neighbour to the north is the United States of America. 90.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“At this very time in my country the grimy hand of the multinational imperialist communications media has clawed at the Bahamas, threatening its peace and stability in what may very well be part of a conspiracy to destabilize the Government of the Bahamas and overthrow it. 87. In a world of cynics, hardened to injustice, the fate of the Government of a country of 200,000 people and the invasion of its sovereignty will go unnoticed. But we are not satisfied that this particular problem has yet reached dimensions necessitating recourse to international attention in this body for relief from the extension of extraterritorial jurisdiction to the Bahamas and from the callous interference in the internal affairs of the Bahamas of multinational news media, disseminating news world-wide. 88.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“This, however, does not mean that the media should come under the control of Governments. That would be intolerable, though clearly they should have an interest in policies of integrity which will ensure honesty in the distribution of news to the public. 85. The Bahamas, as a major tourist destination, conscious of its geographical proximity to the most advanced country in the world, is engaged in a continuous fight to maintain its distinct national identity. We need constantly to fight media-induced problems and values which introduce conflicts and even destabilization into our society. 86.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“It therefore follows that since the national goals of all countries are similar, there should be little difficulty in supporting the common cause or principles of the Movement, regardless of the particular ideology of each country. 84. I wish to draw attention to the policy of members of the Non-Aligned Movement on the issue of the new world information and communication order, as referred to in the Political Declaration of the Seventh Conference. We recognize that the present situation in the field of information and communication is largely a legacy of the past and of the continued dominant position of a few transnational news agencies of the North. The transformation into a new world information order will therefore require that the principle of the free flow of information be given its full meaningful and democratic content.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“We affirm and endorse the principles which guide the direction of the Movement, particularly in the approaches to and strategies for development. 82. The Bahamas adheres to the views on the role of non-alignment expressed in the Political Declaration of the Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries. The non-aligned countries today represent an overwhelming majority of mankind linked together by a shared perspective that transcends the differences in their social and economic systems. Their common commitment to the promotion of world peace, to the elimination of colonialism and neo-colonialism, to the consolidation of the natural independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and to the social and economic uplifting of their peoples, constitutes an irreversible factor in world history. 83.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“We ought never to indulge in the self-delusion that there are conventional means by which apartheid will be renounced and abandoned voluntarily by South Africa because that regime will ultimately come to the conclusion that that is the right thing to do. "This South African Government's religion and philosophy can only survive, too, because it has so many friends outside South Africa to give it aid and comfort. The war against apartheid must therefore be intensified outside South Africa against people who are capable of reason and intelligence and who ought to know what enlightened self-interest is. 81. Since the last Assembly session, the Bahamas has become a member of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“We ought also not to underestimate the extent to which the Government of South Africa and the philosophy which it promotes represent an acceptable symbol to powerful ethnic forces in the world which cling to the belief that some men are more equal than others." I also remarked in connection with the strategy against apartheid, that "Most important of all, we have to destroy the illusion which it is sought to create that South Africa is governed by normal people capable of conventional reason and intelligence and that in the fullness of time their own enlightened self-interest will force change upon them, for it will never happen that way.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“For the Government of South Africa, locked as it is in the cocoon of its perversity, apartheid is a religion, the soul of their nation which gives it strength, the psychology of its people which gives them courage and a culture which gives meaning to their existence.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)
“What is needed most is broad agreement on a programme of practical steps and measures to be taken to put an end to that threat. 80. I had occasion to state at the thirty-sixth session that: "Nothing in modern world history has affronted the dignity of so many people in the world as the racial policies of the Government of South Africa. The overwhelming majority of the people of the world are at war with the soul of South Africa as it is at present governed. Outside the African continent, there is a perception that in South Africa a white racist minority discriminates against and oppresses a black South African majority. That part of the picture is, to be sure, true, but it is incomplete in so far as it is a perception which does not recognize that apartheid goes beyond discrimination and oppression.”
1983-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 38 (1983)