YouSaid · the spoken record

Theodore Brent Symonette

lines on the record: 54
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2011-09-24
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

“The United Nations must therefore continue to reflect the ideals of its founding principles and unite us through a common vision of peace, mutual respect and human rights for all.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In spite of the objectives of these laudable initiatives for the advancement of the international human rights agenda and recent undertakings such as the reform of the Human Rights Council, we are still confronted with persistent poverty and stark inequalities, both within and across countries — racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance, some 63 years after the landmark adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (resolution 217 (III)). These challenges serve as a constant reminder that we have much more to do to improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged and marginalized populations throughout the world. While it is advantageous to adopt declarations and renew commitments, it is more important to ensure their effective implementation at the national, regional and international levels.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“This year we celebrate some significant achievements on the international human rights agenda: the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development (resolution 41/128) and, more recently, the tenth anniversary, this week, of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. This year, we are also observing the International Year for People of African Descent.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We look forward, however, to a comprehensive review of this issue in 2014. With the world community witnessing an unprecedented wave in the call for social change and democracy across countries in the Arab world and in North Africa, we must ensure, in our desire to promote good and effective governance, that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as the promotion of civil and political rights and the right to development, forms the basis of any long-term solution. My Government’s commitment to the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms is unwavering.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As our Prime Minister said in his national 11-51384 36 address here last week (see A/66/PV.3), the health and socio-economic costs required for Governments to treat NCDs are indeed enormous. The Bahamas and its fellow CARICOM countries welcome last week’s High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, and applaud the international community’s attention to NCDs. We trust that the adoption of the Political Declaration (resolution 66/2, annex), while it is not as action- oriented as we envisaged when we undertook the mandate from our heads of Government four years ago, will produce results. We would have preferred the text to have reflected stronger commitments and specific, time-bound targets for addressing non-communicable diseases and their risk factors.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“What is clearly evident is the need for an integrated global response to supplement actions at the national, regional and subregional levels if we are to effectively prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and thus reduce the escalating violence and crime in our societies. The Government of the Bahamas continues to be committed to the 2001 and 2006 Declarations on HIV/AIDS (resolutions S-26/2 and 60/262). Our programme, now in its twenty-fifth year, has been very successful. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our regional, hemispheric and international partners for their support. My Government is also dealing with the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which pose an increasing threat to countries like the Bahamas and others of the CARICOM subregion.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Internationally, the Bahamas is committed to the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. Regulation of the import, export and transfer of conventional arms is critical if we are to achieve some measure of peace and stability and reduce conflicts. The Bahamas supports a strong, effective and non-discriminatory arms trade treaty and welcomes the inclusion of the category of small arms and light weapons and ammunition within the scope of a future treaty.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We are currently confronted by high levels of crime, too many of which involve the use of small arms and light weapons. We are keenly aware of the global threats posed by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, which is linked to other aspects of transnational organized crime, including the illicit drug trade. The Bahamas, both nationally and internationally, is acting to reduce the threats that these criminal elements pose to our society. Nationally, we are continuing a programme of reform of our criminal laws, modernizing and expanding our court system and strengthening targeted programmes designed to address social ills. Regionally, we are working with other CARICOM nations to undertake a number of measures to combat these challenges.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The support and engagement of the international community in Haiti is as pressing and urgent as ever, and MINUSTAH must continue to be an important factor in this regard. The issue of international peace and security remains a critical concern for the Organization, as it does for the entire global community. The Bahamas unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reiterates its commitment to the fight against it. The terror attacks of 11 September, the heinous attacks in Mumbai and Norway and at the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria demonstrate that our efforts thus far have proved insufficient; hence the urgency of our task. In an archipelago spread over some 100,000 square miles, the porous borders of the Bahamas have, for many years, posed a challenge to national security as well as the rule of law.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Political stability is fundamental to Haiti’s economic and social development. We hope that the issue of the appointment of a new Prime Minister will be resolved in the shortest possible time so that the Haitian people can continue to recover from last year’s devastating earthquake and reconstruct their country with a view to its sustained and sustainable development. My delegation continues to commend the work of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Over the years, MINUSTAH has played a key role in helping to lay the foundation for long- term recovery and stability in Haiti, with its support activities for State institutions and the rehabilitation and training of the Haitian National Police. MINUSTAH’s role and functions should reflect the country’s development needs, as articulated by the Government.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In this context, the Bahamas welcomes increased dialogue on improving international cooperation with respect to international migration and development. We believe that proper cooperation can help to ensure that migration occurs through safe and regulated channels, to the benefit of both migrant and receiving States, like the Bahamas. The Bahamas will continue to participate constructively in the process leading to the second High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, to be held by the General Assembly in 2013, with a view to addressing these and other related issues. The Bahamas congratulates the people of Haiti on the election and installation of a democratically elected President and Government. We are heartened by the peaceful and successful manner in which the second round of elections was concluded in Haiti.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In that connection, the Bahamas wishes to underline the importance of implementing the Monterrey Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development. The Bahamas also wishes to highlight in this regard the critical role that a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system can play in stimulating economic growth and development in developing countries. Migration can be, and has been, a positive force for development internationally. Indeed, immigrants have contributed to the development of the Bahamas in many respects, largely through contributions to education, health care and to the development of our tourism and financial services. Uncontrolled migration, 35 11-51384 however, has also proved, and continues to be, a serious challenge to sustainable development.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We have seen some success in maintaining a sustainable of Government debt to gross domestic product ratio; implementing measures to provide relief and assistance to Bahamians; and efforts to modernize and expand our public infrastructure as well as increase investment in our least developed islands. These national efforts must be met with appropriate and urgent actions at the international level in order to effectively respond to these challenges, as well as to help sustain progress in achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. Such actions at the international level must include the provision of new and additional resources to assist developing countries, in particular the most vulnerable among us, as well as the development of the necessary implementation mechanisms.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As regards the global economic and financial crisis, it is important to note that many small middle- income and ostensibly high-income developing States such as the Bahamas continue to grapple with lingering effects, including serious credit and employment challenges — challenges that persist owing mainly to indebtedness; non-concessionary status with respect to access to resources of the international financial institutions; and an increasing rate of erosion of preferential access to the markets of major development partners. The Bahamas continues to develop national initiatives to address these and other related matters.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The Bahamas, along with many Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, continues to seek the conversion of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation on Tax Matters into an intergovernmental subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council, the central goal being to give small developing countries an effective voice when issues of cooperation on tax matters are being decided by the international community. Likewise, we recommend a greater role for the United Nations in the areas of international financial regulation and credit-rating systems.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The Bahamas therefore continues to support Security Council expansion in both categories and the reform of its working methods. The Bahamas believes that the main strength of the United Nations is its inclusiveness, as it is perhaps the only global body with unquestionable legitimacy. Hence, we envision a greater role for the United Nations in a number of areas, not in order to duplicate work done elsewhere, but to help in other areas of critical importance to small developing countries, including international cooperation in tax matters.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Reform of the Security Council is no more a reality today than it was a year ago, or even 10 years ago. This remains, however, an important goal, as it stands as a harbinger of success for other equally pressing global governance activities that will inevitably affect each and every country regardless of its size, economic or political power. The aspirations of the marginalized for greater democratization, inclusiveness, representativeness, transparency and accountability are no less legitimate at the international level than they are at the national or local levels. If the Council is to fully fulfil its responsibility for international peace and security, it must reflect the geopolitical realities of our world in its composition as well as in its modus operandi.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“11-51384 34 With respect to international economic governance, the Bahamas is acutely aware of the growing role of the Group of 20 (G-20) and the need to address how the Group would be better able to engage and consult a wider range of countries, as well as the United Nations as a whole, with a view to helping to translate G-20 deliberations into effective actions on a global scale. Fortunately, the work of the Global Governance Group has been largely successful in this regard. Indeed, the Bahamas joined the Group with the understanding that the United Nations has a central role in global economic governance and that serious engagement with the G-20 would allow for a clearer understanding of their respective strengths and comparative advantages.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We face an increasingly complex set of global challenges, which has given rise to an equally complex network of formal and informal global institutions and mechanisms designed to enhance collective action to address these challenges. Consequently, the question of international governance as it relates to the global agenda has become a pressing issue in recent years. The global economic crisis of the past three years has underscored the need for more effective global governance, as has the long and sometimes controversial debate on reform of the Security Council. Arguably, at the heart of all of these issues, particularly for some small developing States such as the Bahamas, is the need to ensure that our global systems are able to effectively respond to evolving global challenges in an inclusive, participatory and transparent manner.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We are committed to mainstreaming sustainable development principles into our national development strategies. Progress is being made in the key areas of protecting our biodiversity and supporting the development of policies promoting renewable energy. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with international partners so as to achieve even greater success in the years ahead. In this vein, the Bahamas looks forward to next year’s United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. We fully expect that the Conference will take into account unmet needs in connection with each of the three pillars of sustainable development, that is, economic, social and environmental.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The storms’ trail of destruction, which took lives, flattened homes and businesses, toppled trees and spread debris across roadways and bridges, and which, in some cases, caused almost certain irreversible damage to coastal areas and ecosystems, compels, we believe, the international community to take immediate measures to address climatic phenomena which cause such huge losses and which threaten so many countries. For us, the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters, including hurricanes, some due to the effects of climate change, are among the major challenges faced at the national level. Other environmental challenges, including waste and water- resource management issues, together with economic and social challenges, all constitute serious constraints for the Bahamas.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“On behalf of the Government and the people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, I wish to express regret at the loss of life and the tremendous and wide- ranging destruction caused by hurricanes and tropical storms during the summer season. The Bahamas, as well as a number of Caribbean islands and, indeed, the East Coast of the United States, were particularly hard- hit by Hurricane Irene. The devastation caused by each of those storms reinforces the need for global attention to the adverse impacts of climate change and natural disasters.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“On behalf of the people and the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, I congratulate Mr. Al-Nasser on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I assure him of my delegation’s full support and cooperation. I also extend gratitude to his predecessor for his stewardship of the Assembly during its sixty-fifth session, and I would also like to extend congratulations to Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his re-election as Secretary-General. I also take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome the Republic of South Sudan as the 193rd State Member of the United Nations and to convey the best wishes of my Government and people for its peace and prosperity.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“My delegation fully endorses the Secretary- General in his assertion that the time for narrow agendas and narrow thinking is over. As an Organization, we must continue to chart a course that will enable us to meet unprecedented global challenges and translate our efforts into actions for the benefit of all. The rhetoric must become reality. We all have a contribution to make in realizing the goals and objectives of the United Nations, based on the purposes and principles outlined in the Charter.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Building on its ratification in 2008 of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, the Bahamas enacted child protection and trafficking legislation specially designed to work on counter-trafficking. We are fortunate that financing has been made available to representatives of relevant Government agencies and key stakeholders. The Bahamas believes that the United Nations is working diligently under its mandate to facilitate increased international dialogue, realizing the noble goals set out in its Charter. The Bahamas has taken note of the Secretary-General’s announcement of a High-level Panel on Global Sustainability as a blueprint for a liveable, prosperous and sustainable future for all.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The Bahamas welcomes efforts by the Organization to continue to bring focus to women’s issues. We applaud the adoption of resolution 64/289, which established a new gender entity — UN Women. We also applaud the recent launch of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. Human trafficking is a growing phenomenon in our region and is increasingly a challenge for us in the Bahamas, as we are an archipelagic nation with porous borders. My Government is therefore committed to combating that activity and to intercepting and prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law those engaged in it.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Regrettably, however, a significant minority, not unlike troubled youth throughout the world, find it difficult to overcome the challenges presented by poverty, weak educational achievement, risky social behaviours, including drug and alcohol abuse, criminal activity and rising unemployment. A recent report of the International Labour Organization found that young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for 22 per cent of the increase in the number of unemployed persons since the beginning of 2007. My Government is therefore seeking to further expand educational programmes and career-oriented training opportunities for our youth by enhancing our secondary school curriculum and by strengthening the programmes available at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I record the appreciation of my Government for the technical assistance recently received from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean in the area of firearms destruction and stockpile 10-55264 14 management. We look forward always to assistance in the future. The Bahamas applauds the General Assembly’s proclamation of the year beginning on 12 August 2010 as the International Year of Youth, under the theme of dialogue and mutual understanding. We believe that the overwhelming majority of our young people are creative and law-abiding citizens. They will doubtless contribute and be a credit to their community and their country.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Governments like my own have been required to dedicate increased portions of our annual budgets to the fight against crime. The seemingly unlimited resources of the illegal cartels continue to render our efforts insufficient. Hence, we look forward with anticipation to the 2012 Conference, whose objective is the conclusion of an arms trade treaty. We fully endorse, in that regard, calls from fellow Caribbean countries for the treaty to be comprehensive in scope, with provisions for all categories of weapons. My Government also confirms its commitment to the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. We were pleased with the outcome document of the Fourth Biennial Meeting of States (A/CONF.192/BMS/2010/3), which was adopted by consensus in June.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The Security Council is central to international efforts aimed at fostering peace and improving security around the globe. We believe that the Council’s efforts in this regard would be strengthened if its composition better reflected the geopolitical realities of the world. Towards that end, the Bahamas lends its voice to the call for increased urgency in efforts to make the Security Council more representative, accountable, democratic and transparent. Crime and threats to security continue to occupy the minds of the people of the Bahamas and indeed of the Caribbean subregion. International traffic in illicit drugs and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons have for many years disrupted the lives of peace-loving citizens of the Caribbean.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The recently held second review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy underscored that we must renew our efforts to combat terrorism in an effective and integrated manner. I reiterate my Government’s commitment to full implementation of the Strategy and renew the call for completion of negotiations on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. The Bahamas is a full partner in the international fight to combat terrorism and other transnational criminal activities. We currently serve as Chair of the Inter American Committee against Terrorism. We were also pleased to host this past June a subregional workshop on counter- terrorism financing, organized by the Organization of American States in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, billions of dollars were pledged and the wider community of nations vowed to stay the course and work to ensure that Haiti gained a footing on the path to sustainable growth and development. There has been some progress in Haiti over the past nine and a half months — but not nearly enough. Millions of internally displaced people continue to languish in makeshift tent cities, with inadequate shelter or protection, and most of the rubble from that January earthquake still lies where it fell. It is imperative, therefore, that the United Nations continue in its pivotal role of mobilizing international assistance for Haiti and assisting with the recovery and reconstruction. International peace and security remain a concern to all of us.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“And in the area of biodiversity, significant achievements have been made in establishing and expanding marine, coastal and terrestrial protected areas. We are also well along with the development of a national energy policy, with potential for renewable energy. It is impossible for my country to note the high incidence of catastrophic natural disasters being experienced around the world and not acknowledge the plight of our great neighbour, Haiti. Haiti and its people are a priority concern for the Bahamas and the Caribbean Community subregion, as they are for the entire international community. None of us, however, were under any illusion that the recovery and reconstruction of Haiti, in the wake of the devastating January earthquake, would be anything less than a Herculean task.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We similarly call for increased financial and technological support of SIDS, and our particularly vulnerable countries, as we struggle to adapt to the 13 10-55264 adverse impacts of climate change. As such, we look forward with considerable anticipation to the December Conference in Cancún. The Bahamas draws attention to the importance of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, as that programme remains the blueprint for action on sustainable development for SIDS, as was subsequently reaffirmed in the Mauritius Strategy. In the Bahamas we have an unwavering political commitment to sustainability as the cardinal principle for national development strategies.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The Bahamas is the fifth most vulnerable country to rising sea levels. We are a country of negligible greenhouse gases and negligible gas emissions; still, we will suffer catastrophic results if emissions are not stabilized and reduced worldwide. Indeed, science demonstrates that a two degree Celsius change in temperature will result in a sea-level rise of more than two metres. Such an occurrence would submerge 80 per cent of our territory. The Bahamas therefore joins with other small island developing States (SIDS) in reiterating the call to the international community, and particularly to developed countries, to undertake urgent and decisive action to significantly reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases, and also to implement fast action strategies.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“It is also our view that there is an important role for the United Nations in this process, particularly in the area of institutional strengthening. We are pleased by the considerable progress made in enhancing our social safety net, expanding unemployment benefits and introducing a national prescription drug programme designed to ensure that the most vulnerable sectors of our society — infants and school-age children, and the elderly — receive prescription medication, regardless of their ability to pay. And we are also pleased that, notwithstanding forced reductions in Government expenditures across the board, every child in the Bahamas continues to be assured of a place in Government-operated schools, from primary to high school. Overshadowing our successes is the ever-present threat posed by climate change.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“My Government has accelerated the implementation of a planned programme of national infrastructure upgrade and expansion, with a view to upgrading the country’s infrastructure in order to accommodate new growth and development when the global economy rebounds. We believe it is critical that greater attention be given to achieving a more transparent international credit rating system that takes fully into account the needs and concerns of developing countries. Greater participation by developing countries is also required in key international norm- and standard-setting bodies in financial regulation and supervision, including the Financial Stability Board and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The increasing risks and high prevalence of non-communicable diseases are exacting heavy tolls on finances and health systems of countries like the Bahamas. Hence we welcome the adoption of resolution 64/265, which calls for a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly next September to address the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. The Bahamas continues to pledge the highest priority on attaining and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We fully expect to achieve most if not all of the goals and targets identified. Still, we are not out of the woods. The fallout from the global economic and financial crisis continues to impact the chief engine and principal employer in our country, tourism, and to slow recovery and expansion in other segments of our economy.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“One of the greatest challenges of the global economic and financial crisis has been the loss in speed towards achieving the development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. We are encouraged by the decline in the number of people living in absolute poverty and the reported increased access to primary and secondary education for some. We are mindful that high levels of infant mortality, unsatisfactory reduction in the rate of maternal mortality, continued high incidences of sexual violence against women and a rise in the prevalence of HIV continue to persist in many countries. The World Health Organization forecasts that between 2006 and 2015, deaths from non-communicable diseases will increase worldwide by some 17 per cent.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“On behalf of the Government and people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, I congratulate Mr. Joseph Deiss on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session, and I assure him of my country’s and my delegation’s full support and cooperation. I also extend sincere congratulations to his predecessor for his stewardship of this Assembly during the sixty- fourth session. I also take this opportunity to express condolences on behalf of the Government and the people of the Bahamas to the Government and people of Pakistan for the loss of lives and property sustained as a result of devastating floods affecting their region. The Government and the people of the Bahamas stand in solidarity with Pakistan.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“In closing, my delegation wishes to state that the current economic crisis dramatically demonstrates the interdependence of the economies of the world. This in 49 09-52470 turn shows the critically important role which organizations like the United Nations can play in facilitating dialogue and crafting creative solutions to global problems. As we continue to face these unprecedented global challenges, the Bahamas reaffirms its commitment to engaging fully and constructively with its partners in the international community to find collective solutions to the challenges which confront all of us.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The Bahamas — as many are aware — is not a producer of illicit drugs; neither the Bahamas nor the other States members of CARICOM are manufacturers or suppliers of small arms and light weapons. Yet, illicit drugs and light weapons account overwhelmingly for the amount of crime in our societies. A disproportionate amount of our scarce budgetary resources are dedicated to fighting illicit drug and light arms trafficking through our territory and in dealing with the terrible fallout in our communities. The Bahamas is fully committed to enhancing regional and international cooperation in the area of peace and security. We are pleased that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has agreed to re-engage with the Caribbean region to support the fight against the crime and violence that today mar our societies.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We are also hopeful that the recent appointment of former United States President Bill Clinton as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Haiti will help to keep the issues affecting Haiti at the forefront of the agenda of the national and international community. The Security Council meeting on Haiti earlier this month was certainly most welcome in this regard. An increased level of criminal activity is creating new challenges for the Bahamas — a phenomenon shared with other countries in our region. We continue to implement national and regional anti-crime initiatives to combat this scourge, which undermines our economies and, indeed, affects our social stability. Illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and small arms and light weapons are major contributing factors to this phenomenon.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The Bahamas and the Caribbean Community States are committed to Haiti’s stabilization and to its political and economic development in the short and long terms. This cannot be achieved without sustained support from the international community. The Bahamas is therefore heartened by the United Nations active and sustained engagement in Haiti over the past four and a half years, through the work of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. We share the hope of the Secretary- General that Haiti is moving away from a history of conflict towards a future of peaceful and sustainable development. We call on the Security Council to further extend the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti beyond 15 October 2009, as recommended by the Secretary-General.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“My Government has committed tremendous financial and technical resources to combat illicit trafficking of drugs and weapons; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and human smuggling, and underscores the need for effective cooperation and coordination among States, as well as the development of innovative approaches to resolve those issues and complement national efforts. The Bahamas welcomes the constructive engagement of the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization in addressing the issue of piracy. As the country with the world’s third largest ship registry, the Bahamas will continue to engage with its partners in the international community to ensure the safety and security of international shipping. Haiti is a near neighbour and a member of our Caribbean Community (CARICOM).”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“For example, the introduction of an air-passenger levy will damage our already weakened tourism industry, the industry that is our economic lifeline. The proposed marine bunkering levies or taxes are likely to have a similar negative impact on our maritime registry’s cost competitiveness. Such supposedly well-intentioned environmental initiatives come at a time when resources available for adaptation are not readily available to small island developing States like the Bahamas. As an archipelagic nation, the Bahamas faces particular challenges in the area of maritime safety and security.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“As a founding member of the Alliance of Small Island States, the Bahamas has joined with many like-minded States in our region and around the world in calling for a global agreement in Copenhagen, with legally binding targets, that will permit us to achieve the ultimate objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Bahamas is cognizant that the responsibility for climate change does not rest with developed countries alone. Within our limited capabilities, we have undertaken a number of appropriate actions, highlighted during the High-Level Event, in order to increase our resistance to the adverse impacts of climate change. But it is also important that initiatives undertaken in the quest for environmental protection do not cause greater harm than good.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“One of the major consequences of climate change for the Bahamas has been the increase in the number, frequency and ferocity of the hurricanes affecting our country and region over the last two decades. Restoration and recovery efforts required as a result of these extreme events have taken a toll amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars over the past decade alone, diverting scarce resources from other critically important national development programmes and compromising our efforts at sustainable development. Hence, we have a special interest not only in actions taken to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change but also in measures designed to slow — 09-52470 48 indeed, to reverse — actions that negatively affect climate.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Yet, despite our vulnerabilities, we have never wavered in our responsibilities as a fully fledged member of the international community and will continue to meet our obligations to the United Nations in the manner prescribed and agreed. While my Government is committed to paying its assessed contributions in a full and timely manner, we believe that the proposed scale of assessments is unfair and unduly burdensome to countries such as the Bahamas, and should therefore be reconsidered and adjusted, taking into account those considerations that reflect our vulnerabilities. Climate change presents acute challenges for small island developing States such as the Bahamas, and we are certainly vulnerable to its impact.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The current scales place the Bahamas, a small developing island nation, in the same category as the most developed economies in the world, with the exception of the permanent members of the Security Council. This unjust formula creates an onerous burden, and we call upon this body to address the inequity, which seriously undermines the development objectives of the Bahamas, as well as other developing countries. Clearly the GNI criterion does not properly reflect either the vulnerability of our economy or the extraordinary costs associated with the duplication of infrastructure required by our archipelagic configuration.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)