Is Papa A Threat to the National Security of the Bahamas?…Nicki Kelly Writes

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Between The Lines Columist - Nicki Kelly

…Nicki Kelly Writes

Published in The Punch 5/26/2011

On Monday, one of the dailies published the contents of cables exchanged between the U.S. embassy in Nassau and the State Department in Washington, covering the years 2003 to 2010.

The Bahamas cashe is part of some 250,000 State Department cables released by Wikileaks, and includes an interview of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham by Brian Bachman, chief of the embassy’s political/economic section.

The interview took place at Mr. Ingraham’s office on April 8th, 2003, a year after the FNM’s defeat in the 2002 general elections.

What astounds me is that Mr. Ingraham would allow himself to be questioned by the representative of a foreign power on confidential matters relating to Bahamas government policy, and the internal affairs of his party.

At the time, Mr. Ingraham was a former head of state and a sitting Member of Parliament. Even more alarming is the frankness of the Ingraham responses, and the highly personal views expressed regarding members of the Opposition and its leader Perry Christie.

This speaks to a degree of intimacy between Mr Ingraham and the U.S. government that should be cause for concern by all Bahamians. In other countries such behaviour would be viewed as a threat to national security.

It is on thing to entertain questions from a reporter, and another to “spill your guts” to the emissary of a foreign power. Inevitably, one has to ask what other governments have been the recipients of Mr Ingraham’s confidences, and what has he been saying.

12 COMMENTS

  1. Ossie’s a brother but Nicki’s support is a sure way to derail any hopes of ever enjoying a little dancing and jumping post General Election happy dance for the DNA.

  2. Media,

    I agree with Stameko here. We have heard Ingraham, and even members of the PLP say these same things publicly. There is no news here. Nikki Kelly has to eat, so we shouldn’t be mad with her, however disingenuous and silly this particular column is…

  3. Bahamians are too laid back. Can you imagine if a US president divulged secrets to a Bahamian intelligence officer? He would be gone the next day!! Why do we accept such s*** from this creep? But then that is old hat for Ingraham. He is the US’ man in the Bahamas, and will act according to their wishes not ours. He has betrayed us before and he will do it again. That is his stock-in-trade.

  4. The problem is Nikki Kelly has zero credibility. She is quick to criticize everybody and their potcake dog, but she does not research her articles…that is why her articles are hidden away inside the belly of a tabloid and she has not been able to advance her career one iota as a journalist – still working as a columnist in the Punch!. the US guy did not need to have a private conversation with HAI to figure this one out….he just needed to listen to The Bahamas radio waves, or read the local press. Christie, McCartney, the rest of them…are all carrying on about each other with the same commentary – Christie says HAI is a dictator. HAI says Christie can’t make a decision and has no control over his party…so what’s new in the Wikileaks so far? Nada!

  5. Mr. Ingraham had a frank discussion with the U.S. official, that’s all. I see no reason for Nikki Kelly to get all bent out of shape over this matter. What do you think Mr. Ingraham told Mr. Bachman that poses a security risk to The Bahamas? What secrets are there to hide from the Americans? It’s not like Mr. Ingraham was giving any confidential information to the Americans on how to build an atomic bomb.Nikki Kelly and others persons who are all riled up over this so-called shocking new development are simply making a mountain out of a mole hill.

  6. clearly this man think we dumb and stupid. for four yrs he tax and diss the bahamians now election time he come with this budget and we suppose to forget all the shit he do and like lil kids take the candy and smile. well pap’s ya wrong again b\c no lil sweetheart budget will erase the 4yrs of pain and suffering you cost us so i say thanks but no thanks. only thing you could do to make me happy is ring that bell so we can kick you and ya balls-less team out of office..

  7. Nikki, who takes delight in the errors of others when it comes to grammar and all other matters makes a glaring mistake in your artuicle that betrays a lack of understanding of the political system here. While this is a small matter, it is nonetheless a telling one.
    HAI was never and is not now a “head of state”. He was and is now the “head of government”. The Queen is our Head of State, represented by the Governor General. The constitution makes the clear. The Westminster system, which we copy here, makes the distinction very clear. The roles are very different. So, Nikki — Civics 101.

  8. I am anxiously waiting on the cable where Inrum admits he breached Cabinet rules by snitching.Loose tongues reveal deep dark secrets.I wonder what apologist like Tal has to say about the threat made to bloody the face of Cheryl Bethel?Does any of the cables substatiate this threat?I see many persons having to resign for revealing the truth to outsiders in a bid to gratiate themselves as being better than the rest of us.Where is the cable with former COP Reginaldf Ferguson admitting to kidnapping Bahamians and sending them to America without due process? Loose tongues will cause many to have diarrhea,and if Brent is man he will run as far away from inrum as he can.

  9. Watch out for the Chinese leaks. What secrets has he benn telling them. The Chinese are here to take over, who gat the money gat the power.They are doing the same thing to Denmark, watch out Bahamas, please reinforce Bahaminazation now.

  10. this man is a sell out we as bahamians should no longer trust this snitch. can u imaging this take place in another country all hell will brake loose this go’s to show why he choose foreign over his own people this is why when foreigners come and broke laws in our country they are spank on the risk and let go. how can a so called leader sit down and let the u.s question him on our country matters just when u thought it can’t get worst. i no sir lynden turn over in his grave. lord help us to get rid of this sick snitch. and y’all say perry weak at least perry ain’t no sell out. the us know who to f with remember when they interview sir lynden he tell them to they face and i quote. “y’all can’t stop drugs from coming in the u.s and y’all want me to stop it from coming to my lil country”. this is why they choose the brown noise master ing-rum shame on his ass. f in snitch.

  11. Nicki Kelly once again demonstrates she is the perfect model of ja ournalists that never did get around to understanding what makes Bahamians tick.
    Nicki opens with a closed-mind about Hubert (AKA) Ingraham and closes without providing readers with any details of what Papa is supposed to have communicated with the US government.
    Nice going Nicki but it’s one thing to entertain your colonial readers, and another to “spill your revengeful guts”
    A threat to our nation’s national security….really?

  12. This is one time that I agree with the writer. HAI is not Bahamian so he feels he can do and say as he pleases. ALL Bahamians should feel betrayed by him and be very wary of the foreigners in our midst for he comes like a thief in the night to kill and destroy. Be very wary, Bahamas, of the foreigners in our midst for they are likes wolves in sheep’s clothing.

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