By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

SENATOR Darren Henfield says he finds it ‘curious’ that Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper claimed not to know Rick Fox was Bahamian when that is one of the requisites for being an Ambassador-at-Large for the Bahamas.

His comments came after Mr Cooper said he has “never been sure” if Mr Fox is even Bahamian. The remarks drew criticism from Mr Henfield, who said the comments raised a serious question about the government’s handling of diplomatic appointments.

“I found it curious the Deputy Prime Minister's comment, which inferred that, you know, Mr Fox might not be a Bahamian,” he said. “If, in fact, that is the case, how is he qualified to be appointed as an ambassador in the first instance?”

“One of the qualifications of an ambassador is to be a citizen of the country. That is a principal qualification, so it begs the question as to whether or not they knew who they were appointing to be an ambassador. I don't believe that they would have been so ignorant to appoint someone who they knew was not a citizen of the country.”

“On the point of his resignation, he's appointed by the Prime Minister. It is customary that if the Prime Minister is not pleased with an ambassador, he asks for his resignation, that's normal,” he said.

Senator Henfield also says he sees “no difference” between Mr Fox’s political ambitions and the actions of Sebas Bastian, another ambassador who is “openly campaigning”, questioning why one is being indirectly pressured to resign while the other pursues frontline politics.

“You have an ambassador on the ground, openly campaigning, so what is the difference? That is my question to the PLP,” he said. “You know you have an ambassador openly campaigning on the ground, so why is it a different thing with Fox?”