On May 23, The Nassau Guardian rolled out its biggest scoop of the year, something its team of journalists had been quietly working on for many weeks -- the WikiLeaks cables.
The Guardian offered its readers a series of unprecedented insights into The Bahamas' foreign policy and domestic affairs, diplomatic, political, economic, social, and cultural matters through the eyes of U.S. diplomats cabling the State Department in Washington, D.C.
The range of subjects, issues and persons covered by The Bahamas cables was extraordinary. The range included The Bahamas' relationship with the U.S., Cuba, China, Haiti and CARICOM. It covered issues and actions relating to cooperation in the fight against drugs, matters of immigration and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force's capacity to deal with a huge influx of migrants, the state of the Detention Center, crime, LNG, local politics and personalities, the state of the economy and tourism, the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the judicial system.
Politicians of all backgrounds, officials, pastors, businessmen, journalists and civil servants figured in the WikiLeaks Bahamas cache, which was made up of 415 U.S. cables relevant to The Bahamas (not all of them originating in The Bahamas) and totaled more than 367,000 words and 1,260 pages. They cover the years 2003 to 2010. The Bahamas cache is part of around 250,000 U.S. State Department Cables that were originally given to four publications around the world -- The Guardian , Le Monde, El Pais and Der Spiegel. The Guardian shared the cables with The New York Times.
It was obvious from the cables that these American diplomats have been trained to listen, probe and prod, massage egos, work sources, report, and write -- providing accessible and, at times, witty and elegant headings and sub-headings to inform, analyze and amuse -- as though they were full-time journalists.
Most of the time the U.S. sees Bahamians and matters under scrutiny through its own interests.
The Nassau Guardian accessed the Bahamas Cables through an arrangement with WikiLeaks -- an organization devoted to having government become more transparent and govern in the sunshine.
The arrangement involved no financial transaction and no financial obligations between the parties.
In deciding what to publish, The Guardian chose subject matters that were considered of public and national interest.
Though the Americans condemned the publication of the cables, both Bahamian and U.S. officials assured that the relationship between the United States and The Bahamas remains cordial.
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
