Dear Editor,
 
Kindly allow me the opportunity to tread where angels dread to tread on a matter of national security.  Let me get right to the point.  The Bahamas must not be politically naive to assume that the Chinese are here out of purely humanitarian or economic goodwill.  I dare to suggest that the underlying, not ulterior, motive is military and neither humanitarian nor economic, and certainly not religious; though we can begin to look forward to an
ever surreptitious move to
introduce Chinese religion in our tertiary institutions of learning.
Let us face it, the Chinese do not need the Bahamian economy for the sustenance of theirs.  The trade imbalance shows that.  The Chinese could find many other more destitute countries to allocate humanitarian resources if it was all about Chinese altruism.  It is all about North America - this we must know and it is this knowledge that must guide our Bahamian-Chinese policies and our apparent unfettered receiving of Chinese 'cookies'.
In the Little Mermaid, Ariel, the star-dazed teenager foolishly and selfishly assumed that Ursula the witch was interested in Ariel and Ariel's agenda, in Ariel's world.  Ariel certainly suffered from delusions of self-grandeur.  But Ursula was connivingly quick, at the critical moment, to enlighten Ariel that it was not she (Ariel) that Ursula was after but her father - King Triton (the bigger fish).
The allusion to this Disney movie is only referential and does not seek to brand any government.  I read with humor in The Nassau Guardian recently the move of the government to "dramatically simplify(ing) visas for millions of Chinese tourists".   The dye is being cast and the bait is being laid, not conspicuously, not overtly, but covertly and in clandestine manners under economic and humanitarian gestures.  The Chinese are coming.  And America is watching in politically, perhaps militarily, astute ways and is cautiously and wisely silent for now.
Nations of the world are watching, while yet receiving a Sino-like invasion of goodwill gestures, financial and social engagements from this  'atheistic' nation; this nation whose military and economic might is potentially frightening.
We must know that it is our inevitable destination that one day we will be caught in the middle of 'a something' between China and the United States of America.  When, what and how high the stakes, will be our moment of epiphany.  And how we choose could be our Waterloo.  But know that one day the piper will demand payment and we will have to 'choose ye this day'.
 
- Alastair "Dr. B" Basden
 

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