Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Chipman said yesterday it

was "irresponsible and inappropriate" for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell to send a diplomatic note to the governments of Malaysia, China and the United States distancing the government from comments made by Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis over the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Chipman said Mitchell elevated Minnis' unscripted remarks and made them the subject of a formal diplomatic correspondence that may seem "frivolous".
"This is a clear and sad case of the foreign minister using a tool of foreign policy to play domestic politics," he said.
"The governments receiving these notes will likely find them improper and question why they were sent, embarrassing The Bahamas, the government and especially the foreign minister.
"With these governments still working diligently to discover what happened to MH 370, the note from The Bahamas will seem frivolous, and these governments will recognize and perhaps be annoyed that the government of the day is using the diplomatic process to score cheap political points."
Chipman said it is obvious that Mitchell has "little appreciation for the conduct of responsible international diplomacy".
He said Prime Minister Perry Christie should not have allowed Mitchell to send the note and called on Christie to
"rein in his out-of-control foreign minister".
When asked if Minnis' comments warranted a diplomatic note, Mitchell said yesterday, "The note is self-explanatory. There is nothing to say really."
In a statement on Wednesday, Mitchell said the note indicated that "the remarks (uttered by the opposition leader) do not represent in any way the diminution of the seriousness of the loss of the plane and of the lives therein, nor does it indicate a lack of sensitivity on the part of the government and people of The Bahamas about the seriousness of this tragedy".
Chipman called on Mitchell to release the diplomatic note to the public.
Out of context
Minnis compared the Christie administration to the airline as he criticized the government for its handling of the proposed constitutional referendum.
"They are reminding me of the Malaysian airline that's lost and the entire world is looking for it," Minnis said.
He was responding to Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage, who said last Monday that he was unaware whether a date had been determined for the promised constitutional referendum on gender equality.
Chipman said he believes Minnis' comments were taken out of context.
"When you look at Dr. Minnis' background, he's a doctor who believes in saving lives," he said. "I don't think he would ever wish anything on the Malaysian people or the Chinese or for that matter any country that some ill fate could fall on.
"A better statement that he could have said was that they were lost in space."
When asked if he supported Minnis' statement, Chipman said, "I support my leader.
"Am I fine with it? It's out there; it's been said.
"I do support what Dr. Minnis said."
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went missing on March 8 during a flight from Malaysia to Beijing, China. There were 227 passengers and 12 crewmembers onboard.
A massive multi-nation search is continuing for the aircraft.
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has sharply criticized Minnis over his comments.
PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts said Minnis should apologize for his "tasteless" comments and MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray called it a bad joke.
On Tuesday, Minnis refused to apologize for his comment and charged that Prime Minister Perry Christie should apologize for failing to deliver on many campaign promises.
Chipman said the government should "focus its attention at advancing the interests of all the Bahamian people instead of seeking to continue its two-year long political vendetta against its political opponents".

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