Weeks from now, the 2024 United States presidential election will take place. Millions of Americans will head to the ballot box to decide who will become the 47th president of the United States.
While these votes will generally represent the direction in which Americans want their country to move, it is important for us, as Bahamians, to remember that our national interests are deeply intertwined with this election. In other words, we, too, have a stake in the outcome.
To understand this, we must look back at the dynamic relationship between the United States and The Bahamas, and how our trajectory as a nation has been shaped by our northern neighbor.
Economically, the United States remains our largest trading partner, with an overwhelming portion of our visitors (80 percent) and imports originating from there.
The Bahamian dollar, being pegged to the U.S. dollar, also reflects the economic interdependence between the two nations.
Diplomatic relations between The Bahamas and the United States date back to our independence from the United Kingdom in 1973, but informal relations extend as far back as the U.S. Revolutionary War, with the arrival of the Loyalists.
Militarily, the U.S., the world’s largest military power, has had a longstanding presence in The Bahamas, such as with the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) in Andros.
During the Cold War, the Nassau Agreement of 1962 – negotiated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy and U.K. Prime Minister Harold McMillan – highlighted our archipelago’s strategic importance in global affairs.
Culturally and socially, Bahamian society has been deeply influenced by American consumerism, evident in our consumption of American fast food like Wendy’s, Tommy Hilfiger clothing and popular music genres like trap.
It is clear that American hegemony continues to shape the Bahamian way of life. However, while this dominance will remain a fixture in Bahamian affairs, the manner in which it is executed can change depending on who is elected in November.
Regardless of the outcome, it is crucial that the new U.S. administration recognizes the unique needs of The Bahamas. Below are several thematic areas that should be part of any U.S. foreign policy concerning The Bahamas:
Climate change: Climate change represents an existential threat to The Bahamas, most acutely felt through the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes.
The research paper “Global Increase in Major Tropical Cyclone Exceedance Probability over the Past Four Decades” highlights a stark increase in major hurricanes from 1979 to 2017.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian is a clear-cut example, with approximately $3.2 billion in damage and a tragic loss of lives.
The ensuing migration from affected Family Islands also contributed to brain drain, further weakening The Bahamas’ capacity to recover and potentially putting a strain on the U.S.’s resources.
The new U.S. administration must recognize that climate change is not just a political talking point, but a real and present danger to both Bahamians and Americans.
Efforts should be made to support The Bahamas in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
For instance, the U.S. could establish financing channels to support the Bahamas Sustainable Investment Program (BSIP), funding blue and green startups.
Additionally, collaboration with the Disaster Reconstruction Management Authority (DRM Authority) would help bolster disaster resilience and alleviate climate poverty.
Crime and social rehabilitation: Chronically high crime rates continue to plague Bahamian society.
In January 2024, the United States issued a travel advisory for The Bahamas, citing violent crimes such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults.
While accurate, this advisory could inadvertently hurt the Bahamian tourist sector and U.S.-Bahamian relations by perpetuating an imperialist narrative that only the Global North, or more specifically majority white countries know best.
The new U.S. administration should adopt a proactive approach, collaborating with the Bahamian government to address crime, rather than merely reacting to it.
Beyond providing security equipment to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF), the U.S. Embassy could establish social rehabilitation programs targeting at-risk youth, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture, Ministry of National Security and the United Nations Country Team.
Diplomatic engagement: Despite the close ties between The Bahamas and the U.S. on the ground, diplomatic engagement has not been up to par.
In recent years, the U.S. has delayed appointing an ambassador to The Bahamas, a trend seen across the Caribbean and Latin America.
This absence could give the impression that the U.S. is disinterested in Bahamian affairs, particularly when compared to China and the U.K., which have maintained consistent diplomatic representation.
While the completion of the new U.S. Embassy compound in June 2024 is a step forward, it is imperative that the U.S. appoint an ambassador who is deeply involved in Bahamian affairs.
This would signal a commitment to maintaining a close and productive relationship between the two countries.
Amidst the excitement, chaos, and paranoia surrounding the 2024 U.S. presidential election, it is essential to recognize this event as an opportunity to strengthen the rich bonds between The Bahamas and the United States, rather than weaken them.
Whichever presidential candidate is elected, they must be prepared and ready to address the issues that impact our nations.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6703da7616a04bff9c0370f5607f1c3c&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenassauguardian.com%2Fopinion%2Fthe-2024-u-s-presidential-election-why-it-matters-to-the-bahamas%2Farticle_7086895e-840b-11ef-9118-67cd4248823b.html&c=5942712417018796287&mkt=en-us
Author :
Publish date : 2024-10-07 00:59:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.