YouSaid · the spoken record

Hubert Alexander Minnis

lines on the record: 38
first: 2018-09-24
most recent: 2020-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“President: The Bahamas is carefully formulating the gradual re-opening of the country to visitors. We hope to welcome some tourists this year. However, as we adjust to this new normal, we acknowledge that no country can survive this pandemic alone. Mr. President: We also take this occasion to reiterate our support for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. Accordingly, The Bahamas will join the international community by voting in favor of the General Assembly’s annual resolution on this agenda item. Mr. President: Please be assured of The Bahamas’ unwavering commitment to the United Nations and our pledge to adhere always, to the UN Charter of principles on which the organization was founded. I thank you.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We will continue to remain actively engaged in the negotiations towards an international treaty to sustainably use and conserve marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. In this context, I am pleased to inform that the Bahamas will seek to renew its membership on the Council of the International Maritime Organization, and we count on the invaluable support of member states for our re-election. Mr. President: The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the accelerated utilization of and access to information communication technology especially for young people and economically challenged communities. This trend must continue in a post COVID-19 environment, as well as promotion of STEM careers for young people as education has the potential to act as the great equalizer. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Multilateralism has been, and continues to be, the most effective conduit through which small island states can have their voices heard and their policy requirements advanced. Mr. President: Globally, we continue to see unprecedented climatic and environmental challenges. Worldwide, there has been a decline of 85 per cent of the area of viable wetlands. Scientific reviews reveal that sixty per cent of the ocean area is impacted by adverse human activity including overfishing, pollution and acidification from chemicals. The Bahamas continues to play its role in the preservation of a healthy marine and land environment which includes the expansion of marine protected areas and heritage sites. We therefore welcome the scheduling of a Biodiversity Summit on 30 September.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“President: While we remain cautiously optimistic for a viable COVID-19 vaccine in the not too distant future, we note the collaborative efforts of the COVAX facility to secure arrangements for developing countries. Developing countries should be able to access vaccines via a transparent procurement process at affordable market rates. We salute the doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers and all on the frontline, who have sacrificed their own health in order to assist tens of millions of people around the world. They are the real heroes, to whom the global community owes immense gratitude. Mr. President: As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, we should not allow the pandemic to dampen our spirits and detract from the commemoration of this august institution and its extensive list of achievements and milestones.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I therefore reiterate the call for the institutionalization of a vulnerability index in the decision-making processes of the international financial institutions and international donor community. I also echo the call of the Region for the capitalization of a Caribbean Resilience Fund. The decision of the G20 group to suspend debt service payments for the least developed countries is commendable, and I offer that this concession should be extended to other economic groupings as well. Mr. President: Given the immeasurable stress and strain placed on global health care systems and supply chains, I commend the Secretary-General for his continuous efforts to combat the pandemic. Mr.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This group of countries is among the most disaster- prone areas in the world. Pandemics, hurricanes, or climatic events, do not discriminate between low-income countries, middle-income countries, and developed economies. Hence the compelling question remains, as to why middle-income countries are still being assessed by international financial institutions using outdated methodologies that give no consideration to a country’s level of exposure, vulnerability and ability to recover from exogenous shocks. It is to be noted that ECLAC’s review of the COVID-19 impact estimates that developmental achievements in the Caribbean and Latin America have been reversed by at least a decade. World Bank projections point to at least 100 million people falling into extreme poverty.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Infrastructure and housing projects are ongoing, while we grapple the impact of COVID19, we continue to reach out to international partners for the much-needed assistance to restore and rebuild those islands. A Donors Conference coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme was held in Nassau on 13 January 2020, for which I wish to express the heartfelt appreciation of my Government for all of the pledges of financial resources and assistance made at this conference. My government looks forward to the full realization the pledges made as they are essential to our ongoing recovery efforts.” Mr. President: The economies of small island developing states, including those of the Caribbean Community, are under constant assault from various external shocks beyond their control.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The slowdown in economic activity in some areas of the private sector caused an unprecedented increase in unemployment prompting the activation of an Unemployment Benefits Programme and Self-Employed Assistance Programme, as well as other social safety programmes, including the National Food Distribution Program, the largest feeding program in our nation’s history. Mr. President: Small island developing countries like The Bahamas always appear to be operating in a vicious recovery mode cycle, having to deal with successive exogenous shocks and climatic events. The Bahamas experienced major hurricanes in 2015, 2016, 2017, and in September 2018, Hurricane Dorian, the largest Atlantic storm in recorded history. UN initial assessments valued the loss and damage incurred at $3.4 billion.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Hence, the theme for the 75th Session, The future we want, the United Nations we need reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism — confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action, is relevant and applicable to our current reality. Mr. President: Tourism serves as the main economic earner for The Bahamas. Like other countries, we had to temporarily close our borders and regulate the movement of people to limit the spread of COVID-19. Our priority was, and will always be, to protect lives and ensure the safety of those within our borders. The temporary closure of our borders caused one of the largest declines in visitor numbers since the advent of modern tourism in The Bahamas.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented crisis that has halted global economic activity and threatened global public health and social well-being. The more than twenty-seven million confirmed COVID-19 cases across the globe continue to increase as we speak. On behalf of the Government and people of The Bahamas, I express solidarity with Member States who are fighting COVID-19 and extend our sincere condolences for the loss of life. Mr. President: When I addressed the Assembly last year, in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, I implored world leaders to treat the global climate emergency as the greatest challenge facing humanity. Little did we know that just a few months later, an even greater challenge would emerge, forcing the world to come to a grinding halt, at a proportion not witnessed since the Second World War.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Colleague Heads of State and Government; UN Secretary-General, His Excellency Antonio Guterres; President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Volkan Bazkir; Excellencies: Good Afternoon. Mr. President: Permit me at the outset to congratulate you on your election as President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and to assure you of the unwavering support of the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas during your tenure. I also wish to thank your predecessor, His Excellency Tiijani Muhammad-Bande, for his stellar efforts in guiding the work of the 74th Session of the General Assembly. Mr. President: I address this Assembly at a time when the world is still reeling from the seismic level shocks that the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed on the global community.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It is a symbol of pride for Abaconians and Bahamians. Soon after Hurricane Dorian, some of the residents of Hope Town placed a temporary light that shone in the darkness, with few other sources of light on the horizon. The Bahamas will restore the Hope Town lighthouse as a symbol of resilience, a source of unity and a beacon of hope. May it also serve as a symbol of resilience, unity and hope for a global commons willing to summon the courage and the imagination to act with justice and urgency to save our shared home.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“To help rebuild and restore Abaco, the Abaco Cays and East Grand Bahama, the Government of the Bahamas has announced that those areas will be designated as special economic recovery zones for an initial period of three years, which will enable the communities affected by Hurricane Dorian to benefit from an extensive range of tax breaks and incentives for Bahamians and international investors. Amid the decimation and devastation, there has been a symbol of hope and resilience in Abaco, from which we may draw inspiration, renewed energy and optimism. The iconic red-and-white-striped lighthouse in Hope Town on Elbow Cay, which is featured on the back of the Bahamian $10 bill, survived Hurricane Dorian. Built in 1863, over the decades this 89-foot lighthouse has helped to warn mariners of the dangerous reefs below.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“When we call for consideration of a country’s unique local circumstances in determining its financial worthiness, it should be remembered that access to financing is also a condition and requirement for our resilience. The Bahamas is a testament to the ability of SIDS to manage debt, despite such external setbacks. I would also like to take this opportunity to invite potential travellers from throughout the world to come and visit one or more of the 14 other major islands in the Bahamas that were not affected by Hurricane Dorian, including Nassau, on the island of New Providence. The revenue from tourists visiting the Bahamas will help to play a vital role in reconstructing and rebuilding the affected areas.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We support the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure promoted by the Government of India, which I also thank for its recent assistance. Owing in particular to its many islands and cays requiring basic infrastructure, the Bahamas has major vulnerabilities and resilience deficiencies. We must urgently address these vulnerabilities in order to secure our citizens and protect vital public and private infrastructure. For many years, the Bahamas and countries with similar characteristics have urged an alternative to per capita gross national income as the sole indicator of a country’s level of development and eligibility for concessionary financing.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Bahamas fully supports the Secretary-General’s comprehensive strategy to address the global climate emergency — which will eventually devastate the entire planet — including his plea to international financial institutions to provide concessionary financing to countries severely affected by the external shocks occasioned by climate change. The United Nations Development Programme is already working with three of our Caribbean neighbours — Saint Lucia, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda — on various measures. The Bahamas encourages an expansion of this approach to include the Bahamas. We urge the implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA Pathway) and enhanced financing for sustainable development.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“When one storm can obliterate an island State or a number of States in one hurricane season, how will we survive? How can we develop? How can we continue to exist? I therefore add my urgent plea to the cries and voices of many other leaders and citizens of the global commons for the nations of the world assembled in this Hall to treat the global climate emergency as the greatest challenge facing humankind. It is a challenge that if not treated with the greatest urgency will continue to ravage small island States such as the Bahamas, and will also have a devastating impact on more developed States.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Because of the geographic distribution of the Bahamas, extending from Cuba and parallel to Florida, any number of hurricane trajectories may result in dire and protracted implications for our inhabited islands. Global warming increases the severity and frequency of hurricanes for our archipelago and destroys our natural defences against such storms. Coral and mangrove degradation, land erosion, increased tidal movements and a myriad other consequences of global warming increase our vulnerability and hinder our ability to develop and implement effective resilience measures. We cannot make meaningful progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals if, as forecasters are predicting, recent cyclonic and other extreme climate events are poised to become the new norm and may worsen.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Furthermore, the support that the Bahamas has received from fellow States Members of the United Nations, global and local non-governmental organizations, religious institutions and individuals, including school children, is a powerful demonstration of what it means to come together as a nation. To help focus and coordinate recovery, reconstruction and development assistance, we have created a new Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction. The small island countries in the Caribbean, the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean and elsewhere around the world are on the front lines of being swallowed up by an abyss, initially created by human activity and increasingly exacerbated by human inaction. Our vulnerabilities as States on the front line are profound.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“At the same time, however, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the many friends and neighbours who came to our assistance even as the wind and water were still threatening us, and we thank those who continue to support us through these trying times. In addition to the brave men and women of our Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Royal Bahamas Police Force, we were aided by officers from the United States Coast Guard, our Caribbean Community friends and partners, including security personnel from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the British Royal Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy, which also transported troops from Germany, France and Belgium.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Officially, there were 56 lives lost, but we know that the accurate number is considerably higher because 600 people are still missing as rising and receding ocean waters have swept young and old from their homes. The picturesque and industrious principal town of Marsh Harbour on Abaco has disappeared. Nothing is left of it but heaps of rubble. East End, on Grand Bahama, is in ruins. The hurricane was a physical apocalypse for some communities. Our hearts still ache as I address the Assembly here today. Thousands in our country continue to suffer and will face great difficulties in future as we struggle to recover and rebuild our broken towns and settlements and mend our spirits.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The naturally warm aquamarine and jade waters of the Bahamas, made even warmer by earth-warming carbon-gas emissions, were rapidly whipped up into action as instruments of death and destruction. With unrelenting fury, Hurricane Dorian lingered for painful hours on end, its deadly force laying waste to communities where children were preparing for the beginning of a new school year. The hurricane and its destructive winds, storm surges and rain remained stationary over Grand Bahama and Great Abaco; the 30-hour fixed position of the storm’s eye wall over some communities exacerbated these hazards. At its peak, Hurricane Dorian had maximum sustained winds of 185 miles per hour and gusts of more than 220 miles per hour. There were storm surges of 18 to 23 feet above normal tide levels, roughly three times my height of 6’ 1”.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“But this surpassing beauty, and our very existence as a country, composed of many low-lying islands and more than 2,400 cays, is under grave threat. It is a threat that we did not cause. It is a threat that we cannot survive on our own. While many countries have coastal cities and zones, the Bahamas in its entirety is a coastal zone of many cays and islands forming an extensive archipelago. Over the past three decades, hurricanes have grown increasingly lethal throughout our region. In the words of the Secretary-General, they have become turbocharged. The Bahamas experienced major hurricanes in 2015, 2016 and 2017, but on 1 September 2019, we experienced something far beyond anything we had seen before. In an unprecedented destructive force of wind, rain and sea surge, Hurricane Dorian ripped into the islands of the northern Bahamas.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We inhabit approximately 180,000 square miles of ocean and 16 principal islands whose cities, towns and settlements have names such as Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, Eight Mile Rock, West End and Sweetings Cay, reflecting the rich and diverse heritage of our country. The Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield once noted, “From space, the Bahamas is the most beautiful place on Earth”, adding, “The Bahamas are gorgeous. The deep trench in the ocean floor called the Tongue of the Ocean, which comes between the islands, is the most beautiful deep indigo colour.” We delight with great pride in sharing our archipelago, vibrant culture and natural wonders with millions of visitors from around the world. Tourism is our principal industry. We are stewards of this natural treasure for ourselves and for humankind.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Guterres for his visit to the Bahamas in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, one of the most destructive the Atlantic has ever generated, and a generational tragedy for the Bahamas, since it has decimated and devastated great swathes of Grand Bahama Island, as well as Abaco and the Abaco Cays, which are our second and third most populous centres. I also want to thank the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Mark Lowcock, for his visit in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. The Bahamas is an archipelago of many islands and cays stretching more than 750 miles from off the south-east coast of Florida in the United States to the north-eastern tip of Cuba.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In the context of the global climate emergency, it is also my responsibility, as a citizen of a vulnerable State, to speak on behalf of the community of small island developing States (SIDS), the peoples of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Community, and the coastal and other communities around the world that are especially vulnerable to rising sea levels and increasingly powerful storms. I commend Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his extraordinary leadership in focusing the attention of the international community on the global climate emergency. This global emergency poses myriad and dire risks for all of humankind, especially the poorest in the global commons. I thank Mr.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I congratulate Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. I assure him and the members of the Bureau of the support of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas during his tenure. I also extend our congratulations to his predecessor, Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, for her leadership of the Assembly at its seventy-third session. It is my privilege to address the Assembly on behalf of the people of the Bahamas.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We have offered ourselves as the smart choice with our candidature for the Council of the International Telecommunication Union. The Bahamas has been endorsed by our Caribbean Community neighbours. The world continues to make progress in myriad areas of economic, political and social development. But progress requires the eternal vigilance of each generation, a recommitment to upholding the dignity and equality of all people and unrelenting international cooperation. I wish to reaffirm the commitment of the Bahamas to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The Bahamas intends to continue its efforts to make positive and innovative contributions towards ensuring the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by maritime vessels. The Bahamas remains committed to the protection and promotion of human rights and gender equality. The geographical location of the Bahamas has made us particularly vulnerable to illegal migration. We have been embattled by that problem for decades. However, we are firmly resolved to fight illegal migration and to do so in a manner that prioritizes the safety and security of the Bahamas, while adhering to human rights principles. The Bahamas is committed to the use of information communication technology to support development.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The Bahamas comprehensively seeks to provide greater opportunities to our disadvantaged urban centres through revitalization, economic empowerment and poverty-alleviation initiatives. Those initiatives have been designed to be consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). My Government is committed to achieving the SDGs and will continue to work with the United Nations and our other international partners and domestic stakeholders towards their implementation. The Bahamas is dedicated to serving as a productive presence and committed member of the Council of the International Maritime Organization. We have presented our candidature for re-election in category C in the 2019 elections.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We also reaffirm our support for Cuba’s ability to access resources for development to rebuild after disasters. Similarly, notwithstanding the strong and unwavering commitment to the integrity of our financial-services industry, the Bahamas, like other jurisdictions, is fighting an uphill battle to avoid being blacklisted as a non-cooperative jurisdiction for tax purposes. The goalposts for cooperation are constantly being moved. They are being inequitably applied with unfair advantages to some and disadvantages to others. The Bahamas remains committed to international tax transparency and cooperation, the exchange of information and international regulatory standards, as well as to conducting business in a fair, transparent and competitive manner.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“A relevant United Nations should urgently facilitate a meaningful dialogue on the international stage to establish a workable solution. Furthermore, the adverse impact of global financial inequity is seen in the use of the distorted matrix of the per capita gross domestic product as a measure of national wealth and viability. That is done without due regard being given to a country’s vulnerabilities and the weight that should be accorded to local circumstances. We remain concerned and disappointed that the application of that matrix causes the Bahamas to be assessed as being economically stronger than the threshold level for contributions from international financial organizations and for receiving grants and international assistance when disasters strike. The United Nations must devote greater focus and action to that inequitable issue.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Earlier this week, I participated in the Bloomberg round table on building resilient economies and preservingmarineecosystemsincoastal Commonwealth nations. I commend such dialogues. However, I must stress that the Bahamas and our neighbours are being punished twice for circumstances that are not of our own making. It is not our island nations that are primarily responsible for the climate change that has resulted in the recent scourges of hurricanes and other natural disasters that ravage our islands. However, when we respond to national needs by borrowing internationally, seeking to restore basic human infrastructure, our debt to gross domestic product ratio rises, risking the possibility of a rating downgrade. That limits our ability to provide for ourselves, but we are burdened with a price tag too heavy to be borne.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Millions of tourists travel to the Bahamas annually because of our beautiful turquoise waters and biodiversity. In that context, the Bahamas has committed to banning single-use plastics by 2020. The Bahamas looks forward to the successful outcomes of the review of the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway, the international framework that seeks to advance those and other sustainable development priorities for small island developing States. The Bahamas will also advocate for a strong outcome at the intergovernmental conference on an international, legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“However, the accumulated damage of a series of major hurricanes has made that very difficult. As an archipelago of many islands stretching approximately 600 miles from north to south, we are required to replicate infrastructure many times over with already limited resources. While the delivery of humanitarian aid is essential, it is equally important to focus on prevention and the strengthening of capacity-building. Such a focus must be grounded in a comprehensive approach to sustainable development that addresses, in an integrated manner, the range of issues that are critical to the Bahamas, from disaster-risk reduction to the sustainable use of the world’s seas and oceans, in order to ensure their viability for generations to come. Tourism is the world’s largest industry. It is also the lifeblood of the Bahamian economy.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“This time last year, the Bahamas, along with many countries in the Caribbean and parts of the United States of America, faced the onslaught of hurricanes of category 4 or higher. As Hurricane Irma hurtled towards the Bahamas, my Government took the difficult decision to evacuate residents from the southern islands in order to prevent injury and the loss of life. We fortunately escaped without loss of life, but our southern neighbours were not as fortunate. As such, I fully support the Secretary-General’s plan to call a climate summit next September to mobilize action and financial support. As part of such discussions, we must dedicate considerably more energy and resources to building the resilience and sustainability of our island and coastal nations. Like our neighbours, the Bahamas is trying to rebuild its islands.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“One of the painful lessons learned from the two world wars was the necessity for nations to work together to minimize conflicts and promote economic and social development. The relevance of the United Nations to the global community is without question. That is not to say that we ought not to strive to achieve more — it is imperative that we do. As nations, we must intensify our deliberations and commitments to addressing climate change. Climate change is a clear and present danger to us all, but in particular to low-lying coastal nations like the Bahamas. We see that in the rising sea levels, the loss of coral reefs and the increased volume of acid in our oceans, as well as the more severe and frequent hurricanes and typhoons.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“I congratulate the President on her election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. I wish to assure her and members of the Assembly of my delegation’s support. I commend Secretary-General António Guterres, who continues to guide the Organization through a process of reform that is vital for the continued relevance of our Organization. I also pay tribute to the late Kofi Annan for the immense contribution he made to the United Nations and the global community. This year, as we mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, it is fitting that the theme for this seventy-third session is “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)