FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell has missed the point on the government’s diplomatic appointments, Shadow Mininister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Chipman said.

Mr Chipman said the reference to former Senator Zonicle’s appointment in an earlier FNM release was an effort to address the fact that the government is “making work” for her.

He said: “Washington has functioned well for many years without a Consul General. The demand for such a post exists in New York City, Miami, and Atlanta because they are geographic hubs with population centres to sustain them. That is not the case in Washington, DC.

“Rather than concerning himself with making work for Ms Zonicle, the minister should focus on the fact that most overseas offices have been operating without a head for over eight months.

“With regard to politicians, the minister is being too slick for his own good. The FNM takes no issue with the appointment of former politicians to diplomatic posts. That is an effective means of advancing a government’s foreign policy agenda.

“In that regard, every name of a former FNM parliamentarian the Minister listed filled a substantive post. There was no expensive effort to make work for them at a time when hundreds of Bahamians were looking for work. That is the state of affairs with the PLP today.”

Mr Chipman said with regard to the High Commissioner’s residence in London, the minister rightly made the point that the FNM prioritised its spending by deferring construction as long as possible.

“That delay in construction allowed a few dozen people to remain employed longer. This is a contrast to Minister Mitchell’s aim to spend money on a new parliament building while kicking thousands of people off the 52 weeks jobs programme,” he said.